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Presented    by  Vvls^i" .  GV\  <7\  ^T  W  .  £>V  T^O  v^  d^_ . 

BR  331  .E5  C5  1869 
Luther,  Martin,  1483-1546. 
Watchwords  for  the  warfare 
of  life 


BY   THE   AUTHOR 


"  Schonbcrg-Cotta  Family ^ 


Chronicles  of  the  Schonberg-Cotta  Family. 

The  Early  Dawn. 

Diary  of  Kitty  Trevylyan. 

Winifred  Bertram. 

The  Draytons  and  the  Davenants. 

On  Both  Sides  of  the  Sea. 

Watchwords  for  the  Warfare  of  Life. 


Mary  the  Handmaid  of  the  Lord. 
The  Song  Without  Words. 
Poems. 


WATCHWORD  ^#'l^Jl2'%x 

*     MAY  M  1909      • 


FOR    THE  \^ 


Warfare  of  Life. 


FROM  DR.   MARTIN  LUTHER. 


TK.VNSLATED  AND  ARRANGED  BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 

"chronicles  of  the  schonberg-cotta  family." 


„Qim  I'cbcn  ift  cine  9fittcrid)aft." 

MARTIN    LUTIU5B. 


NEW   YORK  : 

M.  W.  DODD,  506  BROADWAY. 
1869. 


The  New  York  Printing  Company, 
8r,  83,  and  85  Ce7itre  Sti-eet^ 
New  York. 


3n   iUcmoriQin. 


GO  ex  intimo  cordc  peto  mihi  et  omnibus  meis  dari  simi- 
1cm  transitus  horam,  cum  tanta  fide,  placida  quicte,  hoc 
est,   obdormire  in  Domiuo,   mortem   non  videre  ncquc 
quotaie,  neque  ullo  pilo  sentire  pavorem. 

An  Arnsdorf.     Luther's  Briefe,  v.  502. 


Caro  hie   nihil   habet  solatii,  ad  spiritem  eundem  est,  quod 

felici  pereursor  nos  praecessit  ad  cum  qui  nos  omnes  vocavit     * 

*     Nos  contristatos  excipiet  ineneurrabiHs  Isetitia,  ad  quam  tua 

Ketha  et  mea  IMagdalena  cum  multis  aliis  nos  prsecesserunt  et 

quotidic  nos,  nt  scqiianiur,  vocant,  f^ortaiitur,  alliciiint. 

An  Justus  Jonas,  v.  518. 


FROM  my  inmost  heart  crave  that  to  me  and  all  mine 

may  be  given  a  like   hour  of  departure,  with  so  great 

=^  faith  and  such  placid  calm,  that  is  truly  to  fall  asleep  in 

the  Lord  ;  not  to  see  nor  to  taste  death,  nor  in  the  least  degree 

to  feci  his  terrors. 


We,  here,  for  a  little  while  in  sorrow  shall  at  last  be  received 
into  that  unutterable  joy  to  which  thy  Ketha  and  my  Magdalene, 
with  many  others  have  gone  before  us,  and  to  ivhich,  eziery  day, 
they  call,  exhort,  and  tenderly  allure  us,  that  we  ?nay  follow. 


UTHER'S    Prose  is  a  half-batllc  ;    few  deeds  are 
equal  to  his  words. 

'•  Look  up  to  this  evergreen  Oak  and  its  branches  ; 
to  this  Tower,  which,  if  not  always  a  light-house,  was  al- 
ways a  church-tower  with  its  alarm-bells  and  its  friendly 
peals. 

"  Every  brave  life  appears  to  us  out  of  the  past  not  so 
brave  as  it  really  was,  for  the  forms  of  terror  with  which 
it  fought  are  overthrown.  Against  the  many-armed  Fu- 
ture threatening  from  its  clouds,  only  the  great  soul  has 
courage  ;  every  one  can  be  courageous  towards  the  spent- 
out,  disclothed  Past.  Luther  stood  in  the  midst  of  the 
electric  tempests  which  he  had  enkindled,  and  for  us 
cleared  and  unfolded  them  into  pure  air." 

Jean  Paul  Friedrich  Richter. 


I  did  greatly  long  to  see  some  ancient  godly  man's  ex- 
perience who  had  writ  some  hundreds  of  years  before  I 
was  born,  for  those  who  had  writ  in  our  days,  I  thought, 


VIU  PREFACE. 

had  only  writ  that  which  others  had  felt,  or  else  had 
through  the  strength  of  their  wits  and  parts  studied  to  an- 
swer such  objections  as  they  perceived  others  were  per- 
plexed with,  without  going  themselves  down  into  the  deep. 
Well,  after  many  such  longings  in  my  mind,  the  God  in 
whose  hands  are  all  our  days  and  ways,  did  cast  into  my 
hand  one  day  a  book  of  Martin  Luther.  It  was  his  Com- 
mentary on  the  Galatians  ;  it  also  was  so  old  that  it  was 
ready  to  fall  piece  from  piece,  if  I  did  but  turn  it  over. 
Then  I  was  pleased  much  that  such  an  old  book  had  fallen 
into  my  hands  ;  the  which,  when  I  had  but  a  little  way 
perused,  I  found  my  condition,  in  his  experience,  so  large- 
ly and  profoundly  handled,  as  if  this  book  had  been  writ- 
ten out  of  my  heart.  This  made  me  marvel ;  for  this  man, 
I  thought,  could  not  know  anything  of  the  state  of 
Christians  now,  but  must  thus  write  of  the  experience  of 
former  days.  This,  therefore,  I  must  let  fall  before  all 
men,  I  do  prefer  this  book  of  Martin  Luther  on  the  Gala- 
tians, excepting  the  Holy  Bible,  before  all  the  books  that 
ever  I  have  seen  as  most  fit  for  a  wounded  conscience. 

John  Bunyan. 


INTRODUCTORY   NOTE. 


HE  seledlions  in  this  volume  have 
all  been  freshly  translated  from 
Luther's  own  German  or  Latin, 
with  the  exception  of  the  extrafts  taken 
from  the  sixteenth  century  translation  of 
the  Commentary  on  the  Galatians. 

The  majority   of  the  extrafts  are    from 
the  Letters  and  the  Tischreden. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


CONTENTS. 


IJavt  1. 

WORDS  FOR  THE   BATTLE-FIELD. 

I. 

The  Commander 17 

IL 

Rules  of  the  Service 42 

III. 
The  Weapons  of  our  Warfare 55 

IV. 

The  Armies  of  Heaven 100 

V. 
The   Enemy no 


XU  CONTENTS. 

Part  2. 

WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

I. 
The  Leader 155 

11. 
Special  Graces 165 


|Javt  3* 
WORDS   FOR  THE    HALTING-PLACES. 


I. 

The  Visible  Creation 191 

II. 
The  Holy  Scriptures 205 

III. 
The  Fathers  and  Doctors  of  the  Church 220 

IV. 
Heroes 223 

V. 
Children 229 

VI. 
Music 236 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

Part  4. 
WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

I. 

Trial  of  Various  Kinds 243 

II. 
Sickness 255 

III. 
Bereavement 266 


Part  i5. 
WORDS   OF  VICTORY. 

I. 

The  Last  Conflict 295 

II. 
The  Present  Life  of  the  Just  in  Heaven 306 

IIL 
The  Resurrection  and  the  Glorious  Advent.  .  .315 


^art  JFust. 


THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 


THE    BATTLE-FIELD. 


I. 


THE  COMMANDER. 


We  must  strive,  for  we  are  under  one  Lord  of  armies  and  Prince  of  war- 
riors. Therefore,  with  one  hand  we  must  build,  and  in  tlie  other  bear  the 
sword. 

It  must  not  be  "  Sic  eg-o  Pkilippus.^''  The  "  ego  "  is  too  small.  The  word  is, 
"  /  am  that  I  am. 

i'OVE  is  an  image  of  God,  and  not  a 
lifeless    image,  nor  one    painted    on 
paper,  but  the  living  essence  of  the 
Divine  Nature,   which  beams  full  of 
all  goodness. 

He  is  not  harsh,  as  we  are  to  those  who  have 
injured  us.  We  withdraw  our  hand  and  close 
our  purse  ;  but  He  is  kind  to  the  unthankful 
and  the  evil. 

He  sees  thee  in  thy  poverty  and  wretchedness, 
and  knows  thou  hast  nothing  to  pay  ;  therefore 
He  freely  forgives  and  gives  thee  all. 


1 8  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

"/^^^  OD'S  love  gives  in  such  a  way,  that  it  flows 
VJT  from  a  Father's  heart,  the  well-spring  of 
all  good.  The  heart  of  the  giver  makes  the 
gift  dear  and  precious  ;  as  among  ourselves  we 
say  of  even  a  trifling  gift,  *  It  comes  from  a  hand 
we  love,'  and  look  not  so  much  at  the  gift  as  at 
the  heart." 

"  T  F  we  will  only  consider  Him  in  His  works, 
-L  we  shall  learn  that  God  is  nothing  else  but 
pure,  unutterable  love,  greater  and  more  than 
any  one  can  think.  The  shameful  thing  is,  that 
the  world  does  not  regard  this,  nor  thank  Him 
for  it,  although  every  day  it  sees  before  it  such 
countless  benefits  from  Him  ;  and  it  deserves  for 
its  ingratitude  that  the  sun  should  not  shine 
another  moment  longer,  nor  the  grass  grow  ;  yet 
He  ceases  not,  for  one  moment's  interval,  to  love 
us  and  to  do  us  good.  Language  must  fail  me 
to  speak  of  His  spiritual  gifts.  Here  He  pours 
forth  for  us,  not  sun  and  moon,  nor  heaven  and 
earth,  but  His  own  heart.  His  beloved  Son,  so 
that  He  suffered  His  blood  to  be  shed,  and  the 
most  shameful  death  to  be  infli6led  on  Him,  for 
us  wretched,  wicked,  thankless  creatures.  How, 
then,  can  we  say  anything  but  that  God  is  an 
abyss  of  endless,  unfathomable  love  .'' " 

"npHE  whole  Bible   is  full  of  this — that  we 

J-       should    not    doubt,    but    be    absolutely 

certain,  that  God  is   merciful,  gracious,  patient, 


THE  COMMANDER.  1 9 

fciithful,  and  true  ;  who  not  only  will  keep  His 
promises,  but  already  has  kept  and  done  abun- 
dantly beyond  what  He  promised,  since  He  has 
given  His  own  Son  for  our  sins  on  the  cross, 
that  all  who  believe  on  Him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life." 

"TXT'HOEVER  believes,  and  embraces  this, 
V  V  that  God  has  given  His  only  Son  to 
die  for  us  poor  sinners,  to  him  it  is  no  longer 
any  doubt,  but  the  most  certain  truth,  that  God 
reconciles  us  to  Himself,  and  is  favorable  and 
heartily  gracious  to  us." 

''OINCE  the  gospel  shows  us  Christ  the  Son 
»0  of  God,  who,  according  to  the  will  of  the 
Father,  has  offered  Himself  for  us,  and  has  satis- 
fied for  sin,  the  heart  can  no  more  doubt  God's 
goodness  and  grace — is  no  more  affrighted,  nor 
flies  from  God,  but  sets  all  its  hope  in  His  good- 
ness and  mercy." 

THE  apostles  are  always  exhorting  us  to 
continue  in  the  love  of  God — that  is,  that 
each  one  should  entirely  conclude  in  his  heart 
that  he  is  loved  by  God  ;  and  they  set  before  our 
eyes  a  certain  proof  of  it,  in  that  God  has  not 
spared  His  Son,  but  given  Him  for  the  world, 
that  through  His  death  the  world  might  again 
have  life. 

It  is  God's  honor  and  glory  to  give  liberally. 


20  -  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

His  nature  is  all  pure  love,  so  that  if  any  one 
would  describe  or  pi6lure  God,  he  must  describe 
One  who  is  pure  love,  the  Divine  Nature  being 
nothing  else  than  a  furnace  and  glow  of  such 
love  that  it  fills  heaven  and  earth. 

T  is  not  to  be  borne  that  Christian  people 
should  say.  We  cannot  know  whether  God 
is  favorable  to  us  or  not.  On  the  contrary,  we 
should  learn  to  say,  I  know  that  I  believe  in 
Christ,  and  therefore  that  God  is  my  gracious 
Father. 

WHAT  is  the  reason  that  God  gives  t  What 
moves  Him  to  it }  Nothing  but  unuttera- 
ble love,  because  He  delights  to  give  and  to  bless. 
What  does  He  give  t  Not  empires  merely,  not  a 
world  full  of  silver  and  gold,  not  heaven  and  earth 
only  ;  but  His  Son,  who  is  as  great  as  Himself 
• — that  is,  eternal  and  incomprehensible,  a  Gift  as 
infinite  as  the  Giver,  the  very  spring  and  fountain 
of  all  grace  ;  yea,  the  possession  and  property  of 
all  the  riches  and  treasures  of  God. 

Omnipresence, 

C"^  OD  is  limited  to  no  place.  He  is  also  ex- 
T  eluded  from  none.  He  is  in  all  places, 
and  in  the  least  of  His  creatures,  in  the  petal  of 
the  flower,  in  a  blade  of  grass  ;  and  yet  He  is  in 
net  place.    Nowhere,  comprehensively  and  exclu- 


THE  COMMANDER.  21 

sively  ;    everywhere,  because  everywhere  He  is 
creating  and  upholding  everything. 

The  Creation  not  Left  to  Itself. 

GOD  has  not  so  created  the  creatures  that 
after  creating  He  abandons  them.  He 
loves  them,  dehghts  in  them,  is  with  them  ; 
moves  and  sustains  each  creature  accordinir  to 
its  kind. 

We  Christians  know  that  with  God  creatins: 
and  sustaining  are  one  thing. 

The  Creator, 

TO  Magister  Holflein,  Doctor  Martin  Luther 
said,  *'  Dear  Master,  where  were  you,  sixty 
years  ago  t  Where  was  I  }  Whence  came  I 
hither }  Whence  came  you  hither  }  We  did  not 
create  ourselves,  and  yet,  now,  we  want  to  go  to 
our  Lord  God  and  bargain  with  Him,  and  sell 
Him  our  works  !  He  must,  forsooth,  give  us  His 
heaven  for  them  !  Ls  not  this  a  shameful  thing, 
that  a  creature  should  lift  itself  up  thus  and  de- 
sire to  traffic  with  its  Creator.'* 

"  We  do  not  really  believe  that  God  is  our 
Creator.  If  we  believed  it,  we  should  a(5l  far 
otherwise.  But  no  one  believes  that  God  is  the 
Creator.  Even  when  we  say  it,  and  our  con- 
science convinces  us,  it  is  not  genuine  earnest 
with  us. 

"  We  virtually  go  up  to  God  and   say,  '  Lord 


22  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

God,  look  on  me  for  my  works'  sake  !     I  come  to 
Thee.  Thou  hast  not  created  me.'  Shame  on  us." 

The  Living  God, 

THE  chief  thing  that  God  requireth  of  man 
is  that  he  giveth  unto  Him  the  glory  of 
His  Divinity — that  is  to  say,  that  he  taketh  Him 
not  for  an  idol,  but  for  God,  who  looketh  on  him, 
listeneth  to  him,  showeth  mercy  on  him,  and 
helpeth. 

"  True  Christian  Divinity^ 

TRUE  Christian  Divinity  setteth  not  God 
forth  unto  us  in  His  Majesty.  It  com- 
mandeth  us  not  to  search  out  the  nature  of  God, 
but  to  know  His  will  set  forth  to  us  in  Christ. 

Therefore  begin  thou  where  Christ  began — 
namely,  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin,  in  the  man- 
ger, and  at  His  mother's  breast.  It  is  to  this 
end  He  came  down,  was  born,  was  conversant 
among  men  ;  suffered,  was  crucified  and  died, 
that  by  all  means  He  might  set  Himself  forth 
plainly  before  us,  and  fasten  the  eyes  of  our  heart 
upon  Himself,  that  He  might  thereby  keep  us 
from  climbing  up  into  heaven,  and  from  the  curi- 
ous searching  of  the  Divine  Majesty. 

Christ  Revealing  the  Father. 

CHRIST,  according  to  His  of^ce,  calleth  us 
back  unto  the  Father's  will,  that  in  His 


THE  COMMANDER,  23 

words  and  works  we  should  not  so  much  look  on 
Him,  but  on  the  Father.  For  Christ  came  into 
this  world,  and  took  man's  nature  on  Him,  that 
He  might  be  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  and  so  reconcile  us  to  God  the  Father  ; 
that  He  alone  might  declare  unto  us  how  this 
was  done  through  the  good  pleasure  of  the 
Father,  that  we,  by  fastening  our  eyes  on  Christ, 
might  be  drawn  and  carried  straight  unto  the 
Father. 

Theology  Begin7iing  at  Bethlehem. 

CHRISTIAN  religion  beginneth  not  at  the 
highest,  as  other  religions  do,  but  at  the 
lowest.  It  will  have  us  to  climb  up  by  Jacob's 
ladder,  whereupon  God  Himself  leaneth,  whose 
feet  touch  the  very  earth,  hard  by  the  head  of 
Jacob. 

Run  straight  to  the  manger,  and  embrace  this 
infant,  the  Virgin's  little  babe,  in  thine  arms  ; 
and  behold  Him  as  He  was  born,  nursed,  grew 
up,  was  conversant  amongst  men ;  teaching  ; 
dying  ;  rising  again  ;  ascending  up  above  all  the 
heavens,  and  having  power  over  all  things. 

This  sight  and  contemplation  will  keep  thee 
in  the  right  way,  that  thou  mayest  follow  whither 
Christ  hath  gone. 

God  Stoopi7ig  to  Man. 

THE  Gospel  is  the  Revelation  of  the  Son  of 
God. 


24  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

With  our  reason  we  can  never  comprehend 
what  God  the  Creator  is.  And  for  this  cause  He 
has  taught,  "  It  is  in  vain  ;  human  reason  cannot 
comprehend  Me.  I  am  too  great  and  too  high. 
I  will  make  Myself  little,  that  man  may  under- 
stand Me  ;  I  will  give  him  My  Son,  and  so  give 
Him,  that  for  man  He  shall  become  a  sacrifice, 
sin  and  a  curse,  and  be  obedient  to  Me  the 
Father,  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross." 

This  is  indeed  to  become  little  and  compre- 
hensible. But  who  believes  it  t  Novem  tibi 
sunt  ?     "  Where  are  the  nine  ^  " 

The  Incarnation. 

N  deep  spiritual  temptations  nothing  has 
helped  me  better,  with  nothing  have  I  heart- 
ened myself  and  driven  away  the  devil  better 
than  with  this,  that  Christ,  the  true  Eternal  Son 
of  God,  is  "  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our 
flesh,"  and  that  he  sits  on  the  right  hand  of  God, 
and  pleads  for  us.  When  I  can  grasp  this  shield 
of  faith,  I  have  already  chased  away  the  evil  one 
with  his  fiery  darts. 

ANNO  Domini  15  38,  on  the  25th  of  December, 
on  Christmas  Day,  Doctor  Martin  Luther 
was  very  joyous,  and  all  his  sayings,  songs,  and 
thoughts  were  about  the  Incarnation  of  Christ 
our  Saviour.     And  he  said,  with  a  deep  sigh, — 

"Ah,  we  poor  human  creatures,  how  coldly 
and  tamely  we  greet  this   great   joy  which  has 


THE  COMMANDER.  2$ 

come  to  bless  us !  This  is  the  great  a6l  of  ben- 
eficence which  far  excels  all  other  works  of  crea- 
tion. And  shall  we  so  feebly  believe  it,  when  it 
has  been  announced  to  us,  preached,  and  sung 
by  the  angels  ?  (heavenly  theologians  and  preach- 
ers, indeed  !)  And  they  have  rejoiced  on  our 
account,  and  their  song  is  verily  a  glorious  song, 
wherein  is  briefly  enfolded  the  sum  of  the  whole 
Christian  religion.  For  the  Gloria  in  excelsis 
Deo,  '  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,'  is  the  high- 
est worship,  and  this  they  bring  to  us  in  this 
Christ. 

"  For  the  world  since  Adam's  fall  knows 
neither  God  nor  His  creatures  ;  lives  without 
regarding  God's  glory  ;  praises,  honors,  glori- 
fies Him  not.  Oh,  what  choice,  joyous  thoughts 
man  would  have  had  ;  seeing  even  in  the  low- 
liest flowers  that  our  Lord  God  is  an  Artist  and 
Master  whom  none  can  imitate ! 

"  Wherefore  the  dear  angels  call  us,  fallen 
creatures,  to  faith  in  Christ,  and  to  love  ;  that 
we,  giving  glory  to  God  alone,  may  have  peace 
in  this  life,  both  with  God  and  with  one  an- 
other." 

THE  Feast  of  the  Annunciation  may  well  be 
called  the  Feast  of  the  Incarnation.  Then 
our  Redemption  began.  Thus  the  French  and 
the  English  date  the  beginning  of  the  year  from 
this  Feast.  For  this  mystery  no  one  can  explain, 
nor  fathom  with  his  reason,  that  God,  the  High- 


26  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

est  Majesty,  has  humbled  Himself  to  take  on 
Him  our  flesh. 

On  this  day  we  preachers  should  diligently 
pi6ture  to  the  people  the  History  of  the  Festival, 
as  Luke  describes  it,  circumstantially  and  in 
order  ;  and  we  should,  all  together,  have  joy  and 
delight  in  the  comforting,  blessed  story  that,  as 
on  this  day,  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,  took  our  human  na- 
ture upon  Him,  of  the  pure  chaste  Virgin  Mary ; 
became  our  Brother  ;  lifted  up  our  condemned 
and  corrupted  humanity  to  this  highest  glory, 
that  we  should  be  children  of  God,  and  His 
fellow-heirs,  at  which,  indeed,  we  should  rejoice 
more  than  over  all  the  treasures  of  this  earth. 

It  is  true  we  cannot  enough  praise  Mary,  that 
high,  noble  creature  ;  but  when  the  Creator  Him- 
self comes  and  gives  Himself  for  us,  to  redeem 
us  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  for  this  Inexpres- 
sible grace,  neither  we  nor  the  angels  can  praise 
and  bless  Him  enough  to  eternity. 

The  Childhood  mid  Youth  of  our  Lord. 

ALL  the  wisdom  of  the  world  is  mere  child's 
play,  yes,  folly,  compared  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  Christ.  For  what  is  more  wonderful 
than  to  know  and  acknowledge  the  great,  unspeak- 
able mystery  that  the  Son  of  God,  the  express 
Image  of  the  Eternal  Father,  has  taken  our  na- 
ture on  Him,  and  become  in  fashion  as  a  man  } 
At  Nazareth  He  must  have  helped  His  father 


THE  COMMANDER.  2/ 

build  houses  ;  for  Joseph  was  a  carpenter. 
Therefore  Christ  was  called  "  the  carpenter's 
son  ;"  yes,  Himself  "  the  carpenter." 

What  will  the  people  of  Nazareth  think  at  the 
Last  Day,  when  they  shall  see  Christ  sitting  in 
Divine  Majesty,  and  may  say  to  Him,  "  Lord,  didst 
Thou  not  help  build  my  house }  How  then 
comest  Thou  to  this  high  glory  1 " 

Many  fables  have  been  imaged,  by  many,  of 
what  Jesus  did  in  His  childhood  and  youth,  as 
can  be  seen  in  the  book  with  the  title,  "  De  Tn- 
fanti  a  Salvatorisl'  and  ''De  Vita  yesu!'  But  be- 
cause in  this  book  stands  many  a  foolish,  ridicu- 
lous thing,  it  has  never  been  esteemed  by 
Christians. 

This,  however,  is  the  needful  thing,  that  we 
Christians  should  with  all  diligence  learn  and 
know  that  the  Son  of  God  did  so  deeply  humble 
Himself,  was  born  so  poor  and  in  such  a  low 
estate,  all  on  account  of  our  sins  ;  and  that  for 
our  sakes  He  hid  His  Majesty  so  long. 

When  He  was  born,  He  wept  and  wailed  like 
another  babe.  Mary  had  to  wait  on  Him  and 
tend  Him,  and  feed  Him  at  her  breast  (as  the 
Church  sings,  "  A  little  milk  was  once  His 
food  "),  to  cherish,  clothe,  lift,  and  carry  Him, 
lay  Him  to  rest,  as  any  other  mother  her  babe. 

Soon  afterwards  Joseph,  with  the  mother  and 
the  babe,  in  distress,  had  to  flee  into  Egypt,  from 
Herod. 

When,  after  Herod's  death,  they  came  back  to 


28  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

Nazareth,  He  was  subje6l  to  His  parents,  and  no 
doubt  often  brought  them  bread,  drink,  and  other 
things.  Mary  may  have  said  to  Him,  "Jesus, 
where  hast  Thou  been  ?  Canst  Thou  not  stay 
at  home  !  "  And  when  He  grew  up,  He  must 
have  helped  Joseph  at  the  carpentering,  &c. 
Not  to  stumble  nor  to  be  offended  at  this  feeble, 
lowly  form,  this  despised  mode  of  life,  which 
was  seen  in  Christ,  is  great,  high  art  and  wis- 
dom, yea,  God's  gift,  and  the  Holy  Ghost's  own 
work. 

Some  are  offended  because  we  sometimes  say 
in  the  pulpit  that  Christ  was  a  carpenter  (Zim- 
mergesell).  But  it  is  a  far  greater  offence  that 
He  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  as  one  guilty  of 
blasphemy  and  insurre6tion,  between  two  male- 
fa6tors. 

IT  is  written  that  there  was  once  a  pious  godly 
bishop  who  had  often  earnestly  prayed  that 
God  would  manifest  to  him  what  Jesus  had  done 
in  his  youth.  Once  the  bishop  had  a  dream  to 
this  effe6l.  He  seemed,  in  his  sleep,  to  see  a  car- 
penter working  at  his  trade,  and  beside  him  a 
little  boy,  who  was  gathering  up  chips.  Then  came 
in  a  maiden,  clothed  in  green,  who  called  them 
both  to  come  to  the  meal,  and  set  porridge  (Brei) 
before  them.  All  this  the  bishop  seemed  to  see 
in  his  dream,  himself  standing  behind  the  door 
that  he  might  not  be  perceived.  Then  the  little 
boy  began  and  said,  "  Why  does  that  man  stand 


THE  COMMANDER.  29 

there  ?     Shall  not  he  also  eat  with  us  ? "     And 
this  so  frightened  the  bishop  that  he  awoke. 

Let  this  be  what  it  may,  a  true  history  or  a  fa- 
ble, I  none  the  less  believe  that  Christ  in  His  child- 
hood and  youth  looked  and  a6led  like  other 
children,  "  yet  without  sin,"  "  in  fashion  like  a 
man." 

Often  (so  I  think,  I  assert  it  not  for  truth), 
when  His  parents  had  need,  by  His  Divine 
power  He  may  have  created  and  brought  them 
what  they  needed,  without  money.  For  when 
His  mother  saw  at  the  marriage-feast  at  Cana 
that  they  wanted  wine,  from  her  motherly  heart 
she  said  to  Him  with  confidence,  *' They  have  no 
wine,"  as  if  often  before  she  had  seen  how  He 
could  help  in  need. 

Whosoever,  therefore,  will  rightly  comprehend 
this  child,  must  think  that  there  is  no  higher 
wisdom  than  to  acknowledge  Christ,  and  not  to 
be  offended  or  turned  aside,  because  the  world 
holds  all  this  for  the  greatest  foolishness.  For 
to  us  w^ho  believe  it  is  the  "  wisdom  of  God  and 
the  power  of  God  "  whereby  we  are  saved,  and 
wherein  the  dear  angels  have  delight  and  joy. 

Therefore  it  pleases  me  very  well,  when  in  the 
churches  they  sing  aloud,  and  with  a  solemn 
slowness,  Et  homo  factus  est  and  Vei'buni  euro 
factiLin  est.  To  these  words  the  devil  cannot 
listen,  but  must  flee  many  miles  from  them,  for 
he  feels  well  what  there  is  in  them. 

If  we   rejoiced  from   our  hearts   over   those 


30  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

words,  as  the  devil  trembles  at  them,  it  would  be 
well  for  us. 


Christ  at  the  yiidgniejit-Seat. 

IS  it  not  a  wonderful  thing  that  the  Son  of 
God  should  sit  there  and  suffer  himself  to 
be  so  piteously  tormented,  scorned,  and  mocked  ? 
— He  whom  all  angels  adore,  before  whom  the 
earth  trembles  ? — Whom  all  the  creatures  ac- 
knowledge as  their  Creator,  in  His  face  they  spit, 
strike  Him  on  the  lips  with  a  reed,  say  in  mock- 
ery, "  Ah,  if  He  is  a  king  He  must  have  a  crown 
and  sceptre  ! " 

Oh,  our  sufferings  are  nothing  !  When  I 
think  of  them,  I  am  ashamed  to  death.  Yet  we 
are  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  if  our  sufferings  could  be  as  great  as 
His,  it  would  still  be  nothing  in  comparison. 
For  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  we  are  poor 
creatures.  If  we  suffered  eternal  death,  it  were 
nothing  in  comi:)arison. 

The  Last  Stipper, 

THE  supper  which  Christ  held  with  His 
disciples  when  He  gave  them  His  fare- 
well must  have  been  full  of  friendly  heart-inter- 
course ;  for  Christ  spoke  just  as  tenderly  and 
cordially  to  them  as  a  father  to  his  dear  little 
children  when  he  is  obliged  to  part  from  them. 
He  made  the  best  of  their  infirmities,  and  had 


THE  COMMANDER.  3  I 

patience  with  them,  although  all  the  while  they 
were  so  slow  to  understand,  and  still  lisped  like 
babes. 

Yet  that  must  indeed  have  been  choice, 
friendly,  and  delightful  converse  when  Philip 
said,  "  Show  us  the  Father  ; "  and  Thomas,  "  We 
know  not  the  way  ;  "  and  Peter,  "  I  will  go  with 
Thee  to  prison  and  to  death." 

It  was  simple,  quiet  table-talk ;  every  one 
opening  his  heart  and  showing  his  thoughts 
freely  and  fearlessly,  and  without  restraint. 

Never  since  the  world  began  was  there  a  more 
delightful  meal  than  that. 

The  Ag07iy  in  the  Garde7i. 

DR.  LUTHER  was  once  questioned  at  table 
concerning  the  "  bloody  sweat,"  and  the 
other  deep  spiritual  sufferings  which  Christ  en- 
dured in  the  garden.  Then  he  said — ''  No  man 
can  know  or  conceive  what  that  anguish  must 
have  been.  If  any  man  began  even  to  experi- 
ence such  suffering,  he  must  die.  You  know 
many  do  die  of  sickness  of  heart ;  for  heart- 
anguish  is  indeed  death.  If  a  man  could  feel 
such  anguish  and  distress  as  Christ  felt,  it  would 
be  impossible  for  him  to  endure  it  and  for  his 
soul  to  remain  in  his  body.  Soul  and  body  would 
part.  To  Christ  alone  was  this  agony  possible, 
and  it  wrung  from  Him  '  sweat  which  was  as 
great  drops  of  blood.' " 


32  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

The  Ascension  of  Christ. 

A  WONDERFUL  thing  it  must  have  been 
to  see,  when  Christ  vanished  before  the 
disciples'  eyes,  and  went  up  into  heaven.  The 
good  disciples  must  have  thought,  "We  have 
eaten  and  drunk  with  Him,  and  now,  whilst  look- 
ing at  us,  He  is  taken  from  us  into  heaven." 

I  know  Dr.  Justus  Jonas  very  intimately,  and 
if  he  were  now  raised  up  into  heaven,  and  were 
to  vanish  before  our  eyes,  it  would  give  us  many 
strange  and  wonderful  thoughts. 

"  IV^T  O  man  kath  ascended  into  heaven  save  He 
1  ^  who  came  dozvn  from  heaven,  even  the 
Son  of  Man,  who  is  in  heaven!' 

In  these  three  sayings  are  briefly  compre- 
hended His  almightiness.  "  To  come  down  from 
heaven,"  means  that  He  appeared  on  earth,  be- 
came man  (in  all  things  like  us,  save  in  sin),  let 
His  glory  be  seen  in  his  words  and  wondrous 
works,  and  at  last  accomplished  the  redemption 
of  the  human  race. 

"To  ascend  to  heaven,"  means  that  hence- 
forth He  appears  no  more  on  earth  in  bodily 
form. 

"  Is  in  heaven,"  means  that  in  His  Godhead 
He  has  never  left  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
and  moreover  that  He  has  never  relinquished, 
and  will  never  relinquish,  the  human  nature 
which  He  has  taken  on  Him. 


THE  COMMANDER.  33 


The  Holy  Spirit. 

ON  the  Day  of  Pentecost  the  Holy  Spirit 
began  the  New  Testament.  Then  He 
openly  established  his  office  and  work,  as  Christ 
proclaimed  Him,  "  the  Comforter,  and  the  Spirit 
of  Truth." 

For  He  gave  to  the  apostles  and  disciples  a 
true,  sure  consolation  in  their  hearts,  and  an 
assured,  joyful  mind,  so  that  they  did  not  ask  if 
the  world  and  the  devil  were  favorable  or  unfa- 
vorable, raged  or  laughed,  but  went  through  the 
streets  of  the  city,  and  thought,  "  Here  neither 
Annas,  Caiaphas,  Pilate,  or  Herod  are  anything. 
We  Christians  are  all.  All  are  our  subje61s  and 
servants,  and  we  their  lords  and  rulers." 

That  these  poor  beggars  and  fishermen,  the 
apostles,  should  step  forth  and  preach  as  they  did, 
enraging  the  whole  government  at  Jerusalem, 
bringing  on  themselves  the  wrath  of  the  priests 
also,  and  of  the  whole  Roman  empire,  opening 
their  mouths  and  crying,  "  Ye  are  traitors  and 
murderers,"  knowing  that  they  would  in  conse- 
quence be  smitten  on  the  mouth  ;  all  this  could 
not  have  been  but  through  the  Holy  Spirit. 

THE  Holy  Ghost  is  called  the  Comforter,  not 
one  who  makes  sad  ;  for  where  melancholy 
and  depression  are,  there  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Comforter,  is  not  at  home.     The  devil  is  a  spirit 

2* 


34  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

of  terror  and  sadness.     But  the   Holy  Ghost  is 
the  Comforter. 

THE  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  called  a  Witness 
and  a  Comforter,  preaches  and  testifies 
throughout  Christendom,  to  comfort  and  streng- 
then all  the  sorrowful,  of  none  save  only  of 
Christ. 

THE  Holy  Scriptures  give  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
a  very  choice  name,  calling  Him  an  Ad- 
vocate, Paraclete,  who  condu6ls  our  cause  and 
does  the  best  for  us,  speaks  for  us,  makes  inter- 
cession for  us,  and  helps  us  up  again  when  we  are 
fallen.  Thus  we  obtain  the  vi6tory  through  faith, 
and  overcome  the  devil  and  the  world,  not  by  our 
own  means  and  powers,  but  by  the  power  and 
working  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  of  faith. 

The  Love  of  God. 

THE  slender  capacity  of  man's  heart  cannot 
comprehend,  much  less  utter,  that  un- 
searchable depth  and  burning  zeal  of  God's  love 
towards  us. 

God  is  gracious  and  merciful,  as  the  Scriptures 
show.  He  loves  even  real  sinners  (bosen  Buben). 
Yea,  to  the  blind,  hard  world  which  lieth  in  the 
wicked  one,  He  has  sent  as  a  Saviour  His  own  Son. 
I  could  not  have  done  that,  and  yet  I  am  a  real  sin- 
ner (bose  Bubc)  myself. 


THE  COMMANDER.  35 

"  True  Definition  of  Christy 

FOR,  indeed,  Christ  is  no  cruel  exa6tor,  but 
a  forgiver  of  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 
Wherefore,  if  thou  be  a  sinner  (as  indeed  are  we 
all),  set  not  Christ  down  upon  the  rainbow  as  a 
judge,  but  take  hold  of  His  true  definition — name- 
ly, that  Christ  the  Son  of  God  and  of  the  Virgin 
is  a  Person  not  that  terrifieth,  not  that  affli^leth, 
not  that  condemneth  us  of  sin,  not  that  demand- 
eth  an  account  of  us  for  our  life  of  evil  passed, 
but  hath  given  Himself  for  our  sins,  and  with 
one  oblation  hath  put  away  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  hath  fastened  them  upon  the  cross,  and 
put  them  clean  out  by  Himself. 

CHRIST,  then,  is  no  Moses,  no  exa6lor,  no 
giver  of  laws,  but  a  giver  of  grace  ;  a  Sa- 
viour, and  one  that  is  full  of  mercy.  Briefly,  He  is 
nothing  else  but  infinite  mercy  and  goodness, 
freely  given,  and  bountifully  giving  unto  us. 

Now,  as  it  is  the  greatest  knowledge  and  cun- 
ning that  Christians  can  have  thus  to  define  Christ, 
so  of  all  things  it  is  the  hardest. 

I  speak  not  this  without  cause,  for  I  know 
what  moveth  me  to  be  so  earnest  that  we  should 
learn  to  define  Christ  out  of  the  words  of  Paul. 

Ye  young  men,  therefore,  are  in  this  case  much 
more  happy  than  we  that  are  old.  For  ye  are 
not  infected  with  these  pernicious  errors   where- 


36  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

in  I  have  been  so  nustled  *  and  drowned  from 
my  youth,  that  at  the  very  hearing  of  the  name 
of  Christ  my  heart  hath  trembled  and  quaked  for 
fear. 

Christ,  when  He  cometh,  is  nothing  else  but 
joy  and  sweetness  to  a  trembling,  broken  heart,  as 
Paul  here  witnesseth,  who  setteth  Him  out  with 
this  most  sweet  and  comfortable  title  when  he 
saith,  "  Which  loved  me  and  gave  Himself  for  me!' 
Christ,  therefore,  in  very  deed  is  a  lover  of  those 
which  are  in  trouble  and  anguish,  in  sin  and 
death,  and  such  a  lover  as  gave  Himself  for  us, 
who  is  also  our  High  Priest. 

He  saith  not,  "  Which  hath  received  our  works 
at  our  hands,"  nor  "  Which  hath  received  the 
sacrifices  of  Moses'  law,  worshippings,  religions, 
masses,  vows  and  pilgrimages  ; "  but  hath  ^' given." 
What }  Not  gold  nor  silver,  nor  beasts,  nor  pas- 
chal lambs,  nor  an  angel,  but  Himself  For  what } 
Not  for  a  crown,  not  for  a  kingdom,  not  for  our 
holiness  and  righteousness,  but  for  our  sins. 
Not  for  feigned  or  counterfeit  sins,  nor  yet  for 
small  sins,  nor  for  vanquished  sins,  but  for  great 
and  huge   sins  ;  not  for  one  or  two,  but  for  all. 

Christ  the  Centre, 
T  N   my  heart,"  he  said,  "  this  article  reigns 
X    alone,  and  shall  reign — namely,  faith  in 

*  Sixteenth  century  translation  of  the  Commentary  on  the  Ga- 
latians,  probably  the  very  same  of  which  John  Bunyan  found  the 
well-worn  copy,  which  seemed  "  as  if  it  had  been  written  out  of 
his  heart." 


THE  COMMANDER.  3/ 

my  dear  Lord  Christ,  who  is  the  only  Beginning, 
Middle,  and  End  of  all  my  spiritual  and  divine 
thoughts  which  I  have  by  day  or  night." 

Yet  at  the  same  time  I  feel  that  I  only  attain  to 
a  little  feeble  lifting  up  before  others  of  the  height, 
depth,  and  breadth,  of  this  immeasurable  and 
endless  wisdom,  and  have  scarcely  been  able  to 
bring  to  light  more  than  a  few  little  fragments  and 
broken  pieces  from  this  most  rich  and  precious 
mine. 

Christ  the  Priest. 

ONCE,  when  his  servant  read  in  the  Psalms 
the  verse,  "  /  have  szvorn  and  will  not  re- 
pe7ity  Thou  art  a  Priest  for  everl'  Doctor  Mar- 
tin said,  "  That  is  the  most  beautiful  and  glorious 
verse  in  the  whole  Psalter  ;  for  herein  God  holds 
forth  this  Christ  alone  as  our  Bishop  and  High 
Priest,  who  Himself  and  no  other,  without  ceas- 
ing, makes  intercession  for  His  own  with  the 
Father.  Not  Caiaphas,  nor  Annas,  nor  Peter, 
nor  Paul,  nor  the  Pope  ;  He,  He  alone  shall  be 
the  Priest.     This  I  affirm  with  an  oath." 

"  TJioiL  art  a  Priest  for  ever!'  In  that  saying 
every  syllable  is  greater  than  the  whole  Tower 
of  Babel. 

To  this  Priest  let  us  cling  and  cleave.  For 
He  is  faithful  ;  He  has  given  Himself  for  us  to 
God,  and  holds  us  dearer  than  His  own  life. 

When  we  stand  firm  to  Christ,  there  is  no 
other  god  in  heaven  or  on  earth  but  One  who 


38  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

makes  just  and  blessed.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  we  lose  Him  from  our  heart  and  eyes,  there 
is  no  other  help,  comfort,  or  rest. 

Christ  our  Sacrifice, 

IN  His  death  He  is  a  Sacrifice,  satisfying  for 
our  sins  ;  in  the  resurrection,  a  Conqueror  ; 
in  the  ascension,  a  King ;  in  the  intercession,  a 
High  Priest. 

Christ  made  One  with  Man. 

GOD  sent  His  only  Son  into  the  world,  and 
laid  upon  Him  the  sins  of  all  men,  saying, 
"  Be  Thou  Peter,  that  denier ;  Paul,  that  perse- 
cutor, blasphemer,  and  cruel  oppressor  ;  David, 
that  adulterer  ;  that  sinner  which  did  eat  the 
apple  in  Paradise  ;  that  thief  which  hanged  upon 
the  cross  ;  and  briefly,  be  Thou  the  person  which 
hath  committed  the  sins  of  all  men." 

Christ  Obedient  to  the  Laiv, 

CHRIST  is  not  a  Teacher  of  the  law,  like 
Moses,  but  a  disciple  who  would  be  obe- 
dient to  the  law,  that  through  such  subje6lion 
and  obedience  He  might  redeem  those  who  were 
under  the  law. 

Christ  Conquering  by  Suffering, 

CHRIST  is  made  the  law  of  the  law,  the  sin 
of  sin,  the  death  of  death,  that  He  might 


THE  COMMANDER.  39 

redeem  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  justify  me 
and  quicken  me.  While  He  is  the  law,  He  is 
also  liberty  ;  while  He  is  sin,  He  is  righteous- 
ness ;  while  He  is  death,  He  is  life.  For  in  that 
He  suffered  the  law  to  accuse  Him,  sin  to  con- 
demn Him,  and  death  to  devour  Him,  He  abol- 
ished the  law.  He  condemned  sin.  He  destroyed 
death.  He  justified  and  saved  me. 

Christ  our  Life. 

THIS  life  that  I  have  now  in  the  flesh,  in  very 
deed  is  no  true  life,  but  a  shadow  of  life, 
under  which  another  liveth  ;  that  is  to  say, 
Christ.  Who  is  my  true  life,  indeed  ;  which  life 
thou  seest  not,  but  only  hearest,  and  I  feel. 

Christ  Cleansing  Us. 

AS  if  He  would  say  (in  washing  the  disciples* 
feet),  I  am  the  true  Laver  and  Bath. 
Therefore,  if  I  wash  thee  not,  thou  remainest 
unclean,  and  dead  in  thy  sins. 

Christ  the  Conqueror  of  Sin^  Death,  and  the 

Curse. 

NOT  only  my  sins  and  thine,  but  the  sins 
of  the  whole  world,  either  past,  present, 
or  to  come,  take  hold  of  Him,  go  about  to  con- 
demn Him,  and  do  indeed  condemn  Him. 

But   because  in  the   self-same   Person — which 


40  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

is  thus  the  highest,  the  greatest,  and  the  only 
sinner — there  is  also  an  everlasting  and  invin- 
cible righteousness,  therefore  these  two  do  en- 
counter together  ;  the  highest,  the  greatest,  and 
the  only  sin  ;  and  the  highest,  the  greatest,  and 
the  only  righteousness. 

Sin  is  a  mighty  and  cruel  tyrant,  ruling  and 
reigning  over  the  whole  world,  bringing  all  men 
into  bondage.  This  tyrant  flieth  upon  Christ, 
and  will  needs  swallow  Him  up,  as  he  doth  all 
other.  But  he  seeth  not  that  He  is  a  person  of 
invincible  and  everlasting  righteousness.  In 
this  combat  what  is  done  1  Righteousness  is 
everlasting,  immortal,  invincible. 

In  like  manner,  Death,  which  is  an  invincible 
queen  and  empress  of  the  whole  world,  killing 
kings,  princes,  and,  generally,  all  men,  doth 
mightily  encounter  with  Life,  thinking  utterly  to 
overcome  it  ;  and  that  which  it  undertaketh,  it 
bringeth  to  pass  indeed.  But  because  Life  was 
immortal,  therefore,  when  it  was  overcome,  yet 
did  it  truly  overcome,  and  get  the  victory,  van- 
quishing and  killing  death.  Death,  therefore, 
through  Christ  is  vanquished  and  abolished 
throughout  the  whole  world  ;  so  that  now  it  is 
but  a  painted  death,  which,  losing  its  sting,  can 
no  more  hurt  those  that  believe  in  Christ,  who 
is  become  the  death  of  death. 

So,  the  curse  fighteth  against  the  blessing, 
and  would  condemn  it  and  bring  it  to  naught ; 
but  it  cannot  do  so.     For  the  blessing  is  divine. 


THE  COMMANDER.  4 1 

everlasting,  and  therefore  the  curse  must  needs 
give  place.  For  if  the  blessing  in  Christ  could 
be  overcome,  then  should  God  Himself  also  be 
overcome. 

The  Name  of  Jesjis. 

IF  God  takes  me  this  hour,  or  to-morrow,  out 
of  this  life,  I  will  leave  it  behind  me,  that 
I  confess  Jesus  Christ  to  be  my  God  and  Lord. 
This  I  have  learned,  not  from  the  Scriptures 
only,  but  in  many  great  and  hard  experiences. 
I  have  resisted  well-nigh  unto  blood,  and  en- 
dured many  a  sore  conflicl  on  this  account  ;  but 
it  has  been  very  good  and  profitable  for  me. 

The  Gospel  in  the  Crucifix. 

I  BELIEVE  that  many  have  been  saved 
under  the  Papacy,  although  they  never 
heard  the  gospel  as  now,  thank  God,  it  is 
preached  and  taught,  to  whom,  as  they  were  in 
the  agony  of  death,  and  about  to  depart,  the 
crucifix  was  held  up,  and  it  was  said,  "  Fix  thy 
hope  on  Him  who  hath  redeemed  thee." 


II. 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE. 


Obedie7ice  a  Glorious  Apparel. 


\ER  clothing  is  all  glorious  within. 
What  kind  of  glorious  apparel  is 
this  ?  For  we  know  that  on  earth 
Christians  are  poor  and  little  es- 
teemed. It  is  a  spiritual  adorning  ;  not  gold, 
silver,  pearls,  velvet,  but  obedience  to  the  Lord 
our  God.  This  apparel  is  brighter  than  the  sun, 
for  these  are  God's  jewels.  He  who  goes  about 
doing  God's  will,  goes  about  clothed  in  God's 
beauty.  To  serve  Him  truly,  is  simply  to  abide 
in  our  calling,  be  it  lowly  as  it  may. 


WHEN  one  asked  what  was  the  best  service 
of  God,  which  pleased  Him  best .?  Doc- 
tor Martin  said,  "  To  hear  Christ  and  be  obedi- 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  43 

ent  to  Him."  This  is  the  highest  and  greatest 
service  of  God.  Besides  this,  all  is  worth  no- 
thing. For  in  heaven  He  has  far  better  and 
more  beautiful  worship  and  service  than  we  can 
render.  As  it  was  said  to  Saul,  "  To  obey  is  bet- 
ter than  to  sacrificed  As  also  soldiers  say  in  time 
of  war  ;  obedience  and  keeping  to  the  articles 
of  war — this  is  vi6lory. 

EVEN  in  philosophy  men  are  constrained  not 
to  look  on  the  bare  work,  but  on  the  good- 
will of  the  worker.  Wherefore  we  must  ascend 
up  higher  in  divinit}^  with  this  word  "  doing  "  than 
in  natural  things  and  philosophy,  so  that  now  it 
must  have  a  new  signification,  and  be  made  alto- 
gether new. 

TRUE  obedience  to  God  is  the  obedience  of 
faith  and  good  works  ;  that  is,  he  is  truly 
obedient  to  God  who  trusts  Him  and  does  what 
He  commands. 

CHRISTIANS  have  to  do  with  two  kinds  of 
business  ;  the  Word  and  the  works  of  God. 

IN  all  works  we  should  look  to  God's  Word. 
Such  works  as  are  done  at  God's  command, 
these  are  not  from  our  self-will ;  but  we  are  God's 
tools  and  instruments,  through  which  He  works  ; 
they  are  not  our  own  works,  but  God's.  But  all 
works   which  are    not  done  at  God's  command 


44  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

are   godless  and  condemned,  being  mere  works 
of  our  own  hands. 

THE  true  doer  of  the  law  is  he  who,  receiving 
the  Holy  Ghost  through  faith  in  Christ, 
beginneth  to  love  God  and  to  do  good  to  his 
nei2:hbor.  The  tree  must  be  first,  and  then  the 
fruit. 

TO  worship  God  in  spirit,  is  the  service  and 
homage  of  the  heart,  and  implies  fear  of 
God  and  trust  in  Him. 

ALL  Christians  constitute  the  spiritual  estate  ; 
and    the    only  difference  among   them    is 
that  of  the  fundlions  which  they  discharge. 


T 


The  Law  and  the  Gospel. 

HE  law  discovers  the  disease.     The  gospel 
gives  the  remedy. 


THE  law  is  what  we  must  do  ;  the  gospel  what 
God  will  give. 

THE  gospel  is  like  a  fresh,  soft,  cool  breeze  in 
the  i^reat  heat  of  summer,  a  comfort  in 
anguish  of  conscience  ;  not  in  winter,  when  there 
is  already  cold  enough  (that  is  in  time  of  peace, 
when  people  are  secure)  ;  but  in  the  great  heat 
of  summer— that  is,  in  those  who  truly  feel  ter- 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  45 

ror  and  anguish  of  conscience,  and  God's  anger 
against  them. 

THIS  heat  is  caused  by  the  sun.  So  must  this 
terror  of  conscience  be  caused  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  law.  Then  must  the  heavenly  breeze 
again  quicken  and  refresh  the  conscience. 

BUT  when  the  powers  are  thus  again  quick- 
ened by  the  sweet  wind  of  the  gospel,  we 
must  not  lie  idly  basking,  we  must  show  our  faith 
by  good  works. 

LIKE  as  the  parched  earth  coveteth  the  rain, 
the  law  maketh  parched  and  troubled  souls 
to  thirst  after  Christ. 

THE  law  is  a  light  which  enlightens  us  not  to 
see  God's  grace  nor  righteousness,  through 
which  we  attain  to  eternal  life,  but  sin,  our  infir- 
mities, death,  God's  anger,  and  judgment. 

THE  gospel  is  a  far  different  light.  It  lights  up 
the  troubled  heart,  makes  it  live  again, 
comforts  and  helps.  For  it  shows  how  God  for- 
gives unworthy,  condemned  sinners  for  Christ's 
sake,  when  they  believe  that  they  are  redeemed 
by  His  death  ;  and  that  through  His  vi61ory  are 
given  to  them  all  blessings,  grace,  forgiveness  of 
sins,  righteousness,  and  eternal  life. 


4^  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

The  Law  a  Fire. 

THE  law  is  that  hammer,  that  fire,  that  mighty 
and  strong  wind,  and  that  terrible  earth- 
quake, rending  the  mountains  and  shivering  the 
rocks.  But  it  behooved  that  the  tempest,  the  fire, 
the  wind,  the  earthquake,  should  pass,  before 
the  Lord  should  reveal  Himself  in  the  still 
small  voice. 

The  Law  a  Prison. 

THE  law  is  a  prison,  both  civilly  and  spirit- 
ually. For,  first,  it  restraineth  and  shut- 
teth  up  the  wicked ;  furthermore,  by  revealing 
sin,  it  shutteth  man  up  in  a  prison,  out  of  which 
he  cannot  escape. 

The  Law  a  Schoolmaster. 

THE  law  is  not  barely  a  schoolmaster,  but  a 
schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  For 
what  a  schoolmaster  were  he  which  should  alway 
torment  and  beat  the  child,  and  teach  him  no- 
thing at  all  t  And  yet  such  schoolmasters  there 
were  in  times  past,  when  schools  were  nothing 
else  but  a  prison  and  a  very  hell ;  the  school- 
masters cruel  tyrants  and  very  butchers  ;  the 
children  were  always  beaten  ;  they  learned  with 
continual  pain  and  travail,  and  yet  few  of  them 
came  to  any  proof  The  law  is  not  such  a 
schoolmaster.     For  it  doth  not  only  terrify  and 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  4/ 

torment.    It  instru6leth,  and  exerciseth,  and  with 
its  rods  driveth  us  to  Christ. 

"  T  F  Moses  comes  to  judge  me,"  said  Doctor 
J.  Martin,  "  I  will  motion  him  away,  in  God's 
name,  and  say, '  Here  stands  Christ.'  And  at  the 
Last  Day,  Moses  will  look  on  me  and  say,  *  Thou 
hast  understood  me  aright.'  And  he  will  be 
gracious  to  me." 

The  Law  a  Wall  of  Defence. 

BY  the  Ten  Commandments  the  Lord  hath 
defended  and  fortified  the  life  of  man,  his 
wife  and  children,  and  his  goods,  as  it  were  with 
a  wall,  against  the  force  and  violence  of  the 
wicked. 

The  Decalogue   to  be  taught  Affirmatively, 

THE  Decalogue  (that,  is  the  Ten  Command- 
ments of  God)  is  amirror  and  brief  sum- 
mary of  all  virtues,  and  teaches  how  we  should 
condu6l  ourselves  towards  God  and  towards  man. 
And  no  more  beautiful,  perfe6t,  and  shorter  book 
of  virtues  was  ever  written. 

The  virtue  of  the  First  Commandment  is  god- 
liness ;  that  is,  to  fear,  love,  and  trust  God. 

Of  the  Second,  to  confess  and  preach  the  doc- 
trine of  God's  word. 

Of  the  Third,  public  worship  of  God. 

Of  the  Fourth,  obedience  to  parents,  precep- 


4^  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

tors,  and  rulers  in  that  which  is  not  contrary  to 
God. 

Of  the  Fifth,  gentleness,  not  to  be  revengeful. 

Of  the  Sixth,  chastity  and  sobriety. 

Of  the  Seventh,  to  do  good,  willingly  give  and 
lend,  and  be  generous. 

Of  the  Eighth,  truth,  to  injure  no  one's  good 
name,  to  speak  good  of  each  other. 

Of  the  Ninth,  justice,  to  let  each  enjoy  his  own. 

Of  the  Tenth,  to  be  without  evil  desires  in  the 
heart,  and  to  be  content  with  our  own. 

The  Ten  Commandments  are  to  be  understood 
and  explained  as  not  only  forbidding,  but  bidding. 
"  The  chief  commandment  is  love  from  a  pure 
heart,  and  a  good  conscience,  and  faith  unfeigned." 

THAT  word,  "Thou  shalt  have  none  other  Gods 
but  Mel'  once  seemed  to  me  useless  and 
superfluous  under  the  gospel.  When  I  read  it 
first,  I  thought,  "  Ah,  who  does  not  know  that .''  " 
But  now,  thank  God,  I  see  what  the  words  mean  ; 
indeed,  they  are  more  wonderful  than  any  man 
can  explain  or  comprehend. 

Short  Sayings  about  the  Catechism  as  Dr. 
Martin  Luther  taught  it  at  Home- 

THE    COMMANDMENTS. 

AS  faith  is,  so  is  God. 
God    does   not   remain    outside,    although 
He  delays. 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  49 

Idolatry  is  essentially  darkness  of  heart. 

God  gives  through  creatures. 

Unthankfulness  is  theft 

No  one  should  be  judged  in  his  absence. 

Interpret  all  for  the  best. 

No  good  work  goes  beyond  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments. 

To  fear  and  trust  God  is  fulfilling  all  the  Com- 
mandments. 

The  First  Commandment  includes  all  the  rest. 


THE    CREED. 


G 


OD  o:ives  Himself  to  us  with  all  the  crea- 


tures 


The  Holy  Spirit  brings  Christ  home  to  us. 

Where  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  preach,  there 
is  no  church. 

The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  going  forward 
perpetually. 

GOOD    WORKS. 

THE  good  works  of  Christians  are  to  benefit 
and  help  our  neighbors. 
In  tribulations  we   should  be  manly  and  of  a 
good  heart. 

Our  whole  life  should  be  manly,  fearing  and 
trusting  God. 

Faith  makes  us  the  inheritance  of  Christ. 

The  gospel  is  pure  joy. 

The  person  must  be  good  before  his  works. 

3 


so  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

A  Christian  life  consists  in  three  things — in 
faith,  love,  and  the  cross.* 

A  clergyman  is  like  the  director  of  a  hos- 
pital. 

God's  gifts  which  we  possess,  we  should  es- 
teem highly  ;  ourselves  humbly. 

THE  Decalogue  is  a  doctrine  beyond  all 
doctrines.  The  Apostles'  Creed  is  virtue 
beyond  all  virtues.  The  Lord's  Prayer  is  a 
prayer  beyond  all  prayers  and  Litanies ;  more- 
over, it  is  a  joy  above  all  joys.  For  as  the  Ten 
Commandments  teach  and  exhort  all  in  the  freest 
and  fullest  way,  so  the  Creed  fulfils  the  same  in 
the  most  thorough  way,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer 
asks  and  entreats  all  in  the  most  Christian  and 
certain  way.  Therefore  this  threefold  cord  makes 
a  man  perfe6l  in  thought,  speech,  and  work, 
ordering  and  educating  his  heart,  mind,  tongue, 
and  body  to  the  highest  perfe6lion. 

The  Decalogue  based  on  Redemption. 

THUS  saith  God,  ^^ I  am  the  Lord  thy  God, 
who  led  thee  out  of  the  lajtd  of  Egypt. "  Be- 
cause God  can  only  be  known  through  His  a6ls 
and  works.  He  points  us  to  a  glorious  a6l  where- 
by we  may  know  what  a  God  we  honor  and 
serve — namely,    the   God   who   delivered   Israel 

*  Elsewhere  he  says,  "  Faith,  confession,  and  the  aoss  make 
a  true  Christian." 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  5  I 

from  the  house  of  bondage  ;  the  God  who  has 
given  us  His  Word,  and  His  Son  Christ,  who  has 
suffered  and  died  for  us  ;  the  God  who  awakened 
Him  again  from  the  dead. 

Fidfillhig  the  Duties  of  our  Calling  the  best 
Service  of  God. 

ST.  PAUL  in  his  Epistles  has  written  more 
fully  and  wisely  of  virtues  and  good  works 
than  all  the  philosophers,  for  he  exalts  and  glori- 
ously commends  the  works  of  each  man's  calling. 

HE  said,  "  Master  Joachim  Morlein  has 
pleased  me  well  to-day  with  his  sermon, 
for  he  spoke  of  the  office  and  vocation  of  a  wife, 
and  a  maid-servant — namely,  that  a  wife  should 
think  she  lives  in  a  Holy  Order,  and  that  a 
serv^ant  also  may  know  that  her  works  are  good 
and  holy  works.  This  the  people  can  carry 
home." 

IF  a  peasant  knew  the  perils  and  toils  of  a 
prince,  he  would  thank  God  that  he  was  a 
peasant,  and  in  the  happiest  and  safest  state.  But 
the  peasants  know  not  their  happiness  and  wel- 
fare. They  look  only  on  the  outside  pomp  of 
princes,  their  fine  clothes,  golden  chains,  great 
castles,  and  houses  ;  but  see  not  the  care  and 
peril  wherein  princes  live,  as  in  a  fire  and  a 
delusfc. 


52  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

PEASANTS'  work  is  among  the  happiest, 
for  it  is  full  of  hope.  Ploughing,  sowing, 
planting,  propping,  pruning,  mowing,  threshing, 
wood-cutting,  are  all  labors  full  of  hope. 

SO,  also,  men  and  maidens  in  a  house  are  often 
better  off  than  their  masters  and  mistresses, 
for  they  have  no  household  cares — have  only  to 
do  their  work,  and  when  this  is  done,  it  is  done ; 
and  they  can  eat,  and  drink,  and  sing.  My  Wolf, 
and  Orthe  (Dorothea),  my  man,  and  my  cook, 
are  better  off  than  my  Kattie  or  I,  for  married 
life  and  the  ordering  of  a  household  bring  with 
them  their  trials  and  the  holy  cross. 

HE  spoke  of  the  legends  of  the  holy  Patri- 
archs, how  far  they  exceeded  the  holi- 
ness of  (reputed)  saints,  because  they  simply 
went  on  their  way,  in  obedience  to  God,  in  the 
works  of  their  calling,  and  did  what  came  to 
their  hand  to  do,  according  to  God's  command- 
ment, without  choosing  for  themselves. 

Two  Vocations,  of  Faith  and  of  Love. 

NO   one    can    understand    any    work   aright 
unless  he  is  called  to  it. 
Vocation  is  of  two  kinds.     Either  it  is  divine, 
comes  from  above,  or  from  those  who  have  the 
right  to  command  ;  and  then  it  is  a  Vocation  of 
Faith. 


RULES  OF  THE  SERVICE.  53 

Or  it  is  a  Vocation  of  Love,  and  comes  from 
our  equals. 

Two  Sacrifices. 

THE  first  was  called  in  the  Old  Testament 
the  early  or  morning  sacrifice.  By  this 
it  was  shadowed  forth  that  we  should  first  sacri- 
fice to  God,  not  calves  and  oxen,  iDut  ourselves, 
acknowledging  God's  gifts,  both  bodily  and 
spiritual,  temporal  and  eternal,  and  giving  Him 
thanks. 

The  second  the  evening  sacrifice.  By  this  it 
was  signified  that  a  Christian  should  offer  to 
God  a  broken,  lowly,  contrite  heart,  which  con- 
fesses both  its  sin  and  danger,  bodily  and  spirit- 
ual, and  cries  to  God  for  help. 


H 


What  Obedience  meant  to  Luther. 

AT   THE    DIET    OF   WORMS. 

ERE  I   stand  :    I  can   do    no    otherwise. 
God  help  me.     Amen." 


AT   AUGSBURG. 

'"nr^HREE  whole  days   I   was   at   Augsburg, 
X     without  the  Imperial  safe-condu6l.    Mean- 
time they  earnestly  entreated  me  to  say  '  Re- 
voco.' 

"After  three  days  the  Bishop  of  Trent  came 
and  showed  me  the  safe-condu6l.  Then  I  went 
in  all  humility  to  the  Cardinal  ;  fell  at  first  on  my 
knee;  the  second  time  on  the  ground  ;  the  third 


54  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

time  prostrate  there  so  long  that  three  times  he 
bid  me  rise.  Then  I  arose.  That  pleased  him 
much.     He  hoped  I  would  think  better  of  it. 

"  When  I  came  to  the  Cardinal  the  second 
time,  and  would  not  recant,  he  said  : 

"  '  What  meanest  thou  t  Dost  think  the  princes 
will  defend  thee  with  arms  and  armies  .''  Surely, 
no  !     Where,  then,  wilt  thou  take  refuge  } ' 

"  I  said, '  Under  heaven.'  " 

DURING   THE    PLAGUE    AT   WITTENBURG. 

"  T  F  the  lot  fell  on  me,  I  would  not  shrink  from 
X    the  plague.     I  have  been  with  many  when 
they  had  it.     I  have  now  remained  through  three 
pestilences  without  fleeing." 

Merit, 

MERIT  is  a  work  for  the  sake  of  which 
Christ  gives  rewards.  But  no  such 
work  is  to  be  found,  for  Christ  gives  by  promise. 
Just  as  if  a  prince  were  to  say  to  me :  "  Come  to 
me  in  my  castle,  and  I  will  give  you  a  hundred 
florins."  I  do  a  work,  certainly,  in  going  to  the 
castle,  but  the  gift  is  not  given  me  as  the  reward 
of  my  work  in  going,  but  because  the  prince 
promised  it  me. 


III. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE. 


JTaitl). 

AITH  is  nothing  else  but  the  truth  of 
the  heart  ;  that  is  to  say,  a  true  and 
right  opinion  of  the  heart  as  touch- 
ing God. 


FAITH  is  the  divinity  of  works,  and  is  so 
spread  throughout  the  works  of  the  faithful 
as  is  the  divinity  throughout  the  humanity  of 
Christ. 

Through  faith  we  do  good  works.  Through 
good  works  faith  is  made  visible  and  compre- 
hensible. As  the  Godhead  cannot  be  seen  nor 
comprehended,  but  when  Christ  became  incar- 
nate He  was  seen  and  handled. 

In  all  our  doings,  spiritual  and  bodily,  faith 
must  rule  and  reign,  and  the  heart  hold  it  sure 
and  firm,  that  God  is  looking  on  us,  holds  us 
dear,  will  help  us,  and  not  forsake  us. 


5^  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

CHRISTIAN  faith  is  not  an  idle  quality  or 
empty  husk  in  the  heart,  until  charity  come 
and  quicken  it,  but  if  it  be  true  faith,  it  is  a  sure 
trust  and  confidence  in  the  heart,  and  a  firm  con- 
sent whereby  Christ  is  apprehended,  so  that  Christ 
is  the  obje6l  of  faith,  yea,  rather,  even  in  faith 
Christ  himself  is  present. 

Faith,  therefore,  is  a  certain  obscure  knowl- 
edge, or  rather  darkness  which  seeth  nothing, 
and  yet  Christ  apprehended  by  faith  sitteth  in 
the  darkness. 

The  school  divines  do  dream  that  faith  is  a 
quality  cleaving  in  the  heart,  without  Christ. 
But  Christ  should  be  so  set  forth  that  thou 
shouldst  see  nothing  besides  him,  and  shouldst 
think  that  nothing  can  be  more  unto  thee,  or 
more  present  with  thy  heart  than  He  is.  For 
he  sitteth  not  idly  in  Heaven,  but  is  present  with 
us,  working  and  living  in  us. 

Faith, therefore,  is  a  certain  steadfast  beholding, 
which  looketh  upon  nothing  else  but  Christ,  the 
conqueror  of  sin  and  death,  and  the  giver  of 
righteousness,  salvation,  and  eternal  life. 


FOR  he  that  is  a  Christian  hath  Christ  the 
Lord  of  the  law  present  and  enclosed  in  his 
heart,  even  as  a  ring  hath  a  jewel  or  precious 
stone  enclosed  in  it. 

He  that  hath  faith  in  the  heart  hath  such  a 
treasure,  that  though  it  seemeth  to  be  but  little, 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR   WARFARE.  5/ 

is  greater  than  heaven  and  earth,  because  Christ 
"  the  unspeakable  gift "  is  greater. 

THE  believing  man  hath  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
where  the  Holy  Ghost  dwellcth,  He  will  not 
suffer  a  man  to  be  idle,  but  stirreth  him  up  to  all 
exercises  of  piety  and  godliness,  and  of  true 
religion,  to  the  love  of  God,  to  the  patient  suffer- 
ing of  afflictions  to  prayer,  to  thanksgiving,  and 
to  the  exercise  of  charity  towards  all  men. 

BECAUSE  thou  hast  laid  hold  on  Christ  by 
faith,  through  whom  thou  art  made  righteous- 
ness, begin  now  to  work  well.  Love  God  and  thy 
neighbor,  call  upon  God,  praise  Him,  and  coi^ess 
Him.  These  are  good  works  indeed,  which  flow 
out  of  this  faith  and  this  cheerfulness  conceived 
in  the  heart,  for  that  we  have  remission  of  sins 
freely  by  Christ. 

The  Reflex  A^ion  of  Faith. 

THE    FORCE    OF    PRONOUNS. 

BUT  weigh  diligently  every  word  of  Paul, 
and  especially  mark  well  this  pronoun 
"  our  ;"  for  the  effe6l  altogether  consisteth  in  the 
well-applying  of  pronouns,  which  we  find  very 
often  in  the  Scriptures  ;  wherein  also  there  is 
ever  some  vehemency  and  power. 

Therefore,    generally,    it    is    an    easy   matter 
to   magnify  and   amplify  the   benefit   of   Christ, 


5  8  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

namely  that  Christ  was  given  for  sins,  but  for 
other  men's  sins,  which  are  worthy.  But  when 
it  cometh  to  the  putting  to  of  this  pronoun 
"  otir^'  there  our  weak  nature  and  reason  starteth 
back,  and  dare  not  come  nigh  unto  God,  nor 
promise  to  herself  that  so  great  a  treasure  shall 
be  freely  given  unto  her. 

WHEREFORE  these  words,  "  Which  loveth 
Mel'  are  full  of  faith.  And  he  who  can 
utter  this  word  "  niel'  and  apply  it  unto  himself 
with  a  true  and  constant  faith  as  Paul  did,  shall 
be  a  good  disputer  with  Paul  against  the  law. 

For  He  delivered  neither  sheep,  ox,  gold  nor 
silver,  but  even  God  Himself  entirely  and  wholly 
"  for  me,"  even  ''for  me,''  I  say,  a  miserable  and 
wretched  sinner. 

HUMAN  wit  treats  these  words,  ''Who gave 
Himself  for  02ir  sins  I'  2^^  if  the  sins  were 
not  real,  true  sins  ;  as  if  the  words  were  said  light- 
ly, and  not,  as  they  are,  in  true,  bitter  earnest. 

Faith  Lifting  tts  to  God's  Horizon, 

PSALM  XXXVH.  "  For  they  shall  soon  be 
cut  down  like  the  grass'.'  He  lifts  us  from 
our  horizon  to  God's.  In  our  sight  the  wicked 
flourish  and  increase  and  cover  the  whole  earth. 
But  in  God's  sight  what  are  they  }  Hay  !  The 
higher  the  grass  is,  the  nearer  the  hay-fork. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  59 

PSALM  XXIII.  "  But  the  Lord  shall  laugh 
at  III  in,  for  He  seeth  that  Jus  day  cometh!' 

Not  that  God  laughs,  Hke  a  man  ;  but  that  in 
truth  it  is  a  laughable  thing  to  see  foolish  men 
raging  (against  the  truth),  and  undertaking  great 
things  which  they  cannot  really  advance  one 
hair's  breadth. 

Just  as  a  fool  would  be  ridiculous,  who  with  a 
long  spear  and  a  short  dagger  were  to  seek  to 
smite  the  Sun  out  of  the  heavens,  and  with  this 
prospe6l  were  to  shout  and  glorify  himself  as 
if  he  had  accomplished  a  grand  feat. 

Faith  and  Hope. 

FAITH    is    a*  teacher  and  a  judge,  fighting 
against  errors  and  heresies,  judging  spirits 
and  do6lrines. 

But  Hope  is,  as  it  were,  the  general  and  cap- 
tain of  the  field,  fighting  against  temptation,  the 
cross,  impatience,  heaviness  of  spirit,  despera- 
tion and  blaspheming,  and  it  waiteth  for  good 
things,  even  in  the  midst  of  all  evils. 

FAITH  and  hope  are  in  many  ways  distin- 
guished. Faith  is  in  the  understanding 
of  man  ;  hope  in  the  will  ;  and  yet  these  two  can 
no  more  be  severed  than  the  cherubim  above  the 
mercy  seat. 

According  to  their  ofifices  ;  faith  di6lates,  dis- 
tinguishes, teaches,  and  is  knowledge  and  science. 


6o  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

But  hope  exhorts,  awakens,  Ustens,  waits,  and 
patiently  endures. 

Faith  looks  to  the  word  and  the  promise,  that 
is,  the  truth.  But  hope  looks  to  that  which  the 
Word  has  promised,  to  the  gifts. 

Faith  exists  at  the  beginning  of  life,  before  all 
tribulations  and  adversities.  But  hope  follows 
afterwards  and  grows  out  of  adversities. 

Faith  strives  against  error  and  heresy.  But 
hope  strives  against  tribulation  and  tempta- 
tion. 

As  foresight  and  understanding  are  useless, 
and  efFe6l  nothing  without  manhood  and  cheer- 
fulness, so  is  faith  nothing  without  hope ;  for 
hope  endures  and  overcomes  misfortune  and  evil. 
And  as  a  joyful  heart  without  foresight  and  un- 
derstanding is  foolhardiness,  so  is  hope  without 
faith. 

Faith  and  hope  are  thus  distinguished.  Faith 
says,  I  believe  in  a  resurre6lion  of  the  dead  at 
the  Last  Day.  To  this  hope  adds,  "  Then,  if  this 
is  true,  let  us  give  up  what  we  have,  and  suffer 
what  we  can,  if  hereafter  we  are  to  be  such  great 
princes." 

ALL  which  happens  in  the  whole  world  hap- 
pens through  hope.  No  husbandman 
would  sow  a  grain  of  corn,  if  he  did  not  hope  it 
would  spring  up  and  bring  forth  the  ear.  How 
much  more  are  we  helped  on  by  hope  in  the  way 
to  eternal  life. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  6 1 

Faith  and  Charity,  ' 

CHARITY  giveth  place,  for  it  "  suffereth 
all  things."  But  faith  giveth  no  place ; 
yea,  it  can  suffer  nothing.  As  concerning  faith, 
we  ought  to  be  invincible  and  more  hard,  if  it 
might  be,  than  the  adamant  stone.  But  as 
touching  charity  we  ought  to  be  soft,  and  more 
flexible  than  the  reed  or  leaf  that  is  shaken  by 
the  wind,  and  ready  to  yield  to  everything. 

SEE  the  sun  !  It  brings  us  two  things — light 
and  heat.  The  rays  of  light  beam  dire611y 
on  us.  No  king  is  powerful  enough  to  intercept 
those  keen,  diredl  and  swift  rays.  But  heat  is 
radiated  back  to  us  from  every  side.  Thus,  like 
the  light,  faith  should  ever  be  dire6l  and  inflexi- 
ble ;  but  love,  like  the  heat,  should  radiate  on  all 
sides,  and  meekly  adapt  itself  to  the  wants  of  all 

The    Trial  of  Faith. 

THE  trial  of  faith  is  the  greatest  and  heavi- 
est of  all  trials.  For  faith  it  is  which 
must  conquer  in  all  trials.  Therefore,  if  faith 
gives  way,  then  the  smallest  and  most  trifling 
temptations  can  overcome  a  man.  But  when 
faith  is  sound  and  true,  then  all  other  tempta- 
tions must  yield,  and  be  overcome. 

ALAS  !  that  we  believe  God  so  little,"  he 
said.       "  I    can    trust   my  wife,   and    all 


62  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

of  you,  my  friends,  more  than  I  can  trust  Him. 
Yet  none  of  you  would  do  and  suffer  for  me 
what  He  did  ;  would  suffer  yourselves  to  be 
crucified  for  me." 

SECURE,  easy  spirits,  like  all  false  Chris- 
tians, when  they  have  glanced  over  the 
Bible  and  heard  a  few  sermons,  soon  persuade 
themselves  they  have  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that 
they  understand  and  know  all  things. 

Ah !  true  hearts  find  it  far  otherwise  ;  these 
pray  every  day,  yea,  every  moment :  "  Lord, 
strengthen  our  faith." 

REAL  believers  are  always  thinking  they 
believe  not,  therefore  they  are  fighting, 
wrestling,  striving,  and  toiling  without  ceasing, 
to  preserve  and  increase  their  faith.  Just  as 
good  and  skilful  masters  of  any  art  are  always 
seeing  and  observing  that  something  is  lacking 
in  their  work,  whilst  bunglers  and  pretenders 
persuade  themselves  that  they  lack  nothing,  but 
that  all  they  make  and  do  is  quite  perfe6l. 


o 


UR  faith  is  weak,  and  yet  it  is  a  rock  ;  for 
it  is  the  corner-stone  of  the  heart. 


A 


Martin  Luther  s  own  Faith  in   Trial. 

Letter  from  Coburg,  during  the  Diet  of  Augsburg. 
To  tJie  Elcflor  Frederic^  of  Saxony. 

S  to   my  affairs,  my   gracious   lord,   I    an- 
swer thus  :   Your  Ele6loral   Grace  knows 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR   WARFARE.  63 

(or  if  your  Ele6loral  Grace  does  not  know, 
I  hereby  make  it  known),  I  have  not  received 
the  Gospel  from  man,  but  from  heaven,  only 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  I  might 
well  esteem  and  subscribe  myself  (as  henceforth 
I  will)  His  servant  and  evangelist.  That  I 
have  at  any  time  submitted  myself  to  human 
hearing  and  judgment  was  not  because  I  doubt- 
ed this,  but  from  humility,  to  win  others. 

Now,  however,  that  I  see  how  my  too  great 
humility  will  lead  to  the  degrading  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  that  if  I  yield  the  devil  a  hand's  breadth, 
he  will  take  the  whole  place,  by  constraint  of 
my  conscience  I  must  a6l  otherwise.  I  have 
yielded  enough  this  year,  in  deference  to  your 
Ele61oral  Grace  ;  for  the  devil  knows  well  it  was 
no  faint-heartedness  that  made  me  yield.  He 
saw  my  heart  well,  when  I  came  into  Worms  ; 
that  if  I  had  known  that  as  many  devils 
would  set  upon  me  as  there  are  tiles  on  the 
roofs,  I  would  have  leapt  down  among  them  with 
joy. 

After  all,  Duke  George  is  far  from  being  equal 
to  one  single  devil.  And  since  the  Father  of 
unfathomable  mercy  has,  through  the  Gospel, 
made  us  joyful  lords  over  all  the  devils,  and  over 
death,  and  has  given  us  such  wealth  of  trust  that 
we  can  say  to  Him,  "  most  dear  Father,"  it  would 
indeed  be  the  most  shameful  slight  to  such  a  Fa- 
ther that  we  could  not  trust  Him  to  make  us  lords 
over  Duke  George's  wrath. 


64  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

This,  at  least,  I  know  well  of  myself;  if  need- 
ful I  would  ride  into  Leipzig,  if  it  rained  Duke 
Georges  nine  days,  and  each  Duke  George  were 
ninefold  more  furious  than  this  one. 

They  hold  my  Lord  Christ  to  be  a  man  twisted 
of  straw  !  This  may  my  Lord,  and  I,  for  a  while, 
indeed,  endure. 

It  is  another  than  Duke  George  with  whom  I 
have  to  do,  who  knows  me  pretty  well,  and  I 
know  Him  not  ill. 

Your  Ele6toral  Grace  is  only  lord  over  goods 
and  bodies.  But  Christ  is  Lord  also  over  souls, 
to  whom  He  has  sent  me,  and  to  that  end  has 
awakened  me.  These  souls  I  dare  not  forsake. 
I  hope  my  Lord  Christ  will  overcome  our  foes, 
and  will  be  well  able  to  shield  me  from  them,  if 
He  so  will.  If  so  he  will  not.  His  dear  will  be 
done. 

Letter  to  Melanchthon  during  the  Diet  of 
Atigsburg. 

THE  end  and  event  of  the  cause  troubles  thee, 
that  thou  canst  not  order  it.  But  if  thou 
couldst  comprehend  it,  then  would  I  be  no  parta- 
ker in  such  a  cause,  much  less  the  author  of  it. 

God  has  placed  this  cause  in  a  certain  common 
place,  which  thou  hast  not  in  thy  rhetoric,  nor 
in  thy  philosophy.  It  is  called  Faith,  in  which 
place  are  set  all  things  invisible,  and  that  do  not 
appear,  which  things,  if  any  one  seeks  to  render 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  65 

visible,  apparent  and  comprehensible,  as  thou  art 
doing,  he  shall  reap  cares  and  tears  as  the  reward 
of  his  labor,  which  in  truth  thou  art  reaping,  all 
of  us  meanwhile  warning  thee  in  vain. 

God  dwelleth  in  the  clouds,  and  has  set  this 
darkness  as  His  curtain.  Let  him  who  will, 
change  this. 

If  Moses  had  insisted  on  knowing  the  end, 
and  how  he  was  to  escape  the  hosts  of  Pharaoh, 
Israel  would  probably  have  been  in  Egypt  to 
this  day. 

To  Brentius  on  Melanchthon  s  Fears. 

AFTER  us,  God  will  be  the  Creator,  as  He 
was  before  us,  and  is  to-day,  with  us.  He 
will  not  die  with  us,  nor  cease  to  be  God,  ruling 
even  men's  thoughts. 

It  seemed  to  Eli,  the  priest,  that  the  kingdom 
of  Israel  was  perishing,  the  ark  being  taken  by 
the  Philistines  ;  but  Eli  perished  first,  and  the 
kingdom  afterwards  began  to  flourish  most. 

Philip  designs  to  be  head-ruler  of  the  world, 
that  is  to  crucify  himself  But  I  know  that  He 
will  be,  in  the  future,  who  said,  "  WJicre  is  Abel., 
thy  brother  ?  " 

If  God  exists,  not  here  only  do  we  live  ;  but 
wherever  He  lives  we  shall  live.  If  these  things 
are  true,  what,  I  ask,  are  these  furious  threats  of 
idols,  not  merely  dying,  but  wholly  lifeless  }  He 
who  created  mc  will  be  the  Father  of  my  son,  a 
Husband  to  my  wife,  the  Ruler  of  my  country, 


66  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD, 

the  Preacher  to  my  parish,  and  better  than   all 
that  (when  I  am  gone). 

To  Shalatin, 

PHILIP  thinks  to  accomplish  his  own  coun- 
sel. Sic  fecissem  ego.  No !  it  must  not 
be  "  Sic  ego  Philippusr  The  "  ego  "  is  too  small. 
The  word  is,  "  /  am  that  I  am!' 

Do  thou  exhort  Philip  in  my  name  not  to 
make  himself  God,  but  to  fight  against  that 
innate  ambition  of  divinity  implanted  in  us  by 
the  Devil  in  Paradise.  This  cast  Adam  out  of 
Paradise,  and  this  only  disquiets  us,  and  casts  us 
out  of  peace. 

We  are  to  be  men,  and  not  God.  This  is  the 
sum  of  the  whole  matter.  Otherwise  eternal 
unrest  and  heart-sorrow  is  our  portion. 

To  ytistus  yonas. 

CHRIST  has  come  ;  and  He  sitteth  at  the 
right  hand,  not  of  Caesar,  but  of  God, 
This  may  be  very  incredible.  I  nevertheless 
delight  in  this  incredible  thing  ;  and  therein  I 
will  dare  to  die.  Why,  then,  should  I  not  live 
therein  1 

I  would  that  Philip  would  take  this  my  faith, 
if  he  has  none  beside. 

"  On  the  right  hand,"  is  indeed  a  little  thing  ; 
but  the  "  My','  "  My  right  hand  ; "  where  has  that 
an  end  } 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR   WARFARE.  6/ 

The  pronoun  does  it.  The  name  Adonai, 
which  follows  the  ''  I  have  said,''  will  take  good 
care  of  the  precious  "  Sit  Thou,''  until  "  Thy  foes 
Thy  footstool"  shall  also  come.  What  recks  it, 
if  David  falls  .? 

Farewell  in  Christ,  and  believe  us,  as  thou 
dost,  that  Christ  is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords.  If  He  lose  this  title  at  Augsburg,  He 
will  have  lost  it  in  heaven  and  on  earth.    Amen. 

To    the    Ckcincellor   Brilck,  at   Au^sburor^ 
from  "  the   Wilder7iess'  {Cohtirg). 

TWO    MIRACLES. 

I  HAVE  lately  seen  two  miracles.  The  first, 
as  I  was  looking  out  of  the  window,  and 
saw  the  stars  in  heaven,  and  the  whole  fair  vault 
of  God,  yet  saw  nowhere  any  pillars  whereon 
the  Master  had  raised  this  vault.  Nevertheless 
the  heavens  fell  not,  and  that  fair  vault  stands 
firm. 

Now,  there  are  some  who  search  for  the  pillars, 
and  would  fain  grasp  and  feel  them.  And  be- 
cause they  cannot  do  this  they  totter  and  tremble 
as  if  the  heavens  must  surely  fall,  from  no  other 
cause  save  that  they  cannot  grasp  these  pillars, 
nor  see  them.  If  they  could  grasp  these  pillars, 
then  (no  doubt)  the  heavens  would  stand  firm  ! 

The  second  miracle  is  this.  I  saw  also  vast, 
thick  clouds  lowering  over  us,  with  such  a  weight 
that  they  might  be  compared  to  a  great  ocean. 
Yet  saw  I  no  floor  whereon   they  were  based, 


6S  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

nor  any  shore  whereby  they  were  bound.  Never- 
theless they  fell  not  on  us,  but  saluted  us  with 
a  frowning"  countenance  and  fled  away. 

When  they  had  passed  by,  then  shone  forth 
their  floor,  whereon  they  were  based,  and  also 
our  roof,  the  rainbow.  Yet  that  was  indeed  a 
feeble,  slight,  insignificant  floor  and  roof;  so 
slight  that  it  faded  away  into  the  clouds,  and 
was  more  like  a  prism,  such  as  is  wont  to  stream 
through  painted  glass,  than  such  a  mighty  floor ; 
so  that  one  might  well  have  despaired  on  ac- 
count of  the  feebleness  of  the  floor,  as  much  as 
on  account  of  the  great  weight  of  the  waters. 

Nevertheless  it  was  found,  in  fa6l,  that  this 
feeble  prism  bore  up  the  weight  of  waters  and 
shielded  us. 

Yet  there  are  some  who  look  at  the  mass  and 
weight  of  the  clouds,  and  consider  these  more 
than  this  slight,  subtile,  narrow  prism.  They 
would  fain  feel  the  power  of  the  prism,  and 
because  they  cannot  do  this,  they  fear  that  the 
clouds  will  pour  down  an  eternal  deluge. 

The  Sea  Restraiited  by  a  Rope  of  Sand, 

LET  the  adversaries  rage  and  storm  as  long 
as  they  can.  God  has  set  its  bound  to 
the  sea.  He  suffers  it  to  rage  and  swell,  and 
to  rush  on  with  its  waves  in  vehement  assaults, 
as  if  it  would  cover  and  overwhelm  all  things. 
But  nevertheless  it  does  not  pass  the  shore,  al- 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR   WARFARE.   '       69 

though  God  binds  it  not  with  bands  of  iron,  but 
of  sand. 


THROUGH  what  inner  conflia  this  faith 
of  Luther's  was  maintained,  I  have  and 
know  nothing  of  Jesus  Christ  (since  I  have  not 
seen  him  with  my  bodily  eyes,  nor  heard  with 
my  bodily  ears),  save  only  His  name.  Yet  have 
I,  thank  God,  learned  so  much  of  Him  from 
the  Scriptures  that  I  am  well  contented  there- 
with, and  desire  not  to  see  or  hear  Him  in  the 
flesh.  Moreover,  in  my  deepest  weakness,  in  ter- 
rors and  pressure  of  the  burden  of  sin,  in  fear 
and  trembling  before  death,  in  persecution  from 
the  false,  cruel  world,  often  have  I  experienced 
and  felt  the  divine  power  of  this  name  in  me, 
abandoned  as  I  was  by  all  creatures.  I  have 
proved  its  power  to  snatch  me  from  death,  to 
make  me  live  again,  to  comfort  me  in  the  greatest 
despair,  especially  during  the  Diet  of  Augsburg 
in  the  year  1530. 


AS  a  shoemaker  makes  shoes,  and  a  tailor 
coats,  so  should  a  Christian  pray.  Prayer 
is  the  Christian's  business.  Let  us  pray  and 
strive  ;  for  the  word  of  faith  and  the  prayer  of 
the  just  are  the  mightiest  weapons. 


70  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

A  COMPLAINT  was  once  made  to  Do6lor 
Martin  Luther,  "  Dear  Herr  Do6lor,  things 
are  issuing  and  happening  nowhere  as  we  would 
have  them."  "  Well,"  he  said,  "  that  is  precisely 
right.  Have  you  not  given  up  your  will  to  our 
Lord  God,  praying  every  day,  "  Thy  will  be  done 
on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven  ? " 


OH,  it  is  a  great  and  mighty  thing,  the 
prayer  of  the  just.  But  God  knows  best 
how  and  when  to  grant  our  prayers,  for  if  He 
did  always  as  we  would.  He  would  be  our  cap- 
tive. I  prayed  once  for  the  life  of  a  suffering 
woman,  with  great  anguish  and  wrestling  of 
heart.  But  God  knew  best.  He  did  indeed 
hear  our  prayer  in  such  a  way  that  in  the  life  to 
come  that  good  woman  will  thank  me  for  it. 

WE  should  commit  all  to  God.  He  will 
make  it  all  well.  "  Eveji  to  hoar  hairs  I 
will  carry  yon  ;  I  have  made,  and  I  ivill  bear.  I 
will  carry  and  deliver  yon.  Therefore  lay  it  all 
on  me,  my  beloved  ;  commit  it  to  me." 

So  Saint  Peter  :  "  Casting  all  your  care  iipon 
Himr  That  is  a  choice,  consoling  saying.  And 
"  Cast  thy  burden  on  the  Lord,  and  He  will  sustain 
thee^ 

Ah,  these  are  beautiful,  comforting  sayings  ! 
But  we  want  to  do  and  order  all  ourselves,  al- 
though we  are  not   able,  yea  it  is  impossible. 


THE   WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  /I 

We  want  to  lift  and  carry  all  ourselves,  and 
forget  our  Lord  God,  and  so  we  sink,  and  make 
the  evil  worse. 

Indeed,  sayest  thou,  I  have  committed  all  to 
Him,  but  He  will  not  come.  He  delays  too  long. 
Oh,  wait  on  the  Lord — we  must  wait  and  hold  on  ; 
for  at  last  he  will  surely  come. 

ALL  who  call  on  God  in  true  faith,  ear- 
nestly, from  the  heart,  will  certainly  be 
heard,  and  will  receive  what  they  have  asked  and 
desired,  although  not  in  the  hour  or  in  the 
measure,  or  the  very  thing  which  they  ask  ;  yet 
they  will  obtain  something  greater  and  more 
glorious  than  they  had  dared  to  ask. 

THE  cry  and  sigh  of  the  heart  raises  a  clam- 
or that  not  only  God  but  all  the  angels 
in  heaven  must  hear.  Thus,  Moses  was  dis- 
mayed when  he  came  to  the  Red  Sea.  He  cried 
with  trembling,  shuddering,  and  dismay,  and 
nevertheless  did  not  open  his  mouth.  "  O  Lord 
God,"  he  said,  "  what  shall  I  do  now  }  How  can 
I  find  my  way  out  t  I  am  the  cause  that  all  this 
people  will  be  here  miserably  murdered.  There 
is  no  help  nor  counsel.  Before  us  is  the  sea  ;  be- 
hind us  are  our  foes,  the  Egyptians  ;  on  both  sides 
hisfh  mountains.  It  is  all  over  with  us."  Then 
God  answered,  "  Wherefore  criest  thou  unto  me." 
— Exodus  xiv.  13,  14,  15- 

But  we  read  their  examples  as  if  they  were  a 
dead  letter. 


72  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

Moses  must  have  heaved  a  great  sigh,  that  he 
filled  therewith  the  ears  of  God.  It  is  contrary 
to  all  which  reason  could  have  expe61ed  that 
they  went  through  the  Red  Sea.  For  their  way 
through  the  Red  Sea  is  as  broad  as  from  Witten- 
burg  to  Coburg,  or  at  least  from  Wittenburg  to 
Magdeburg.  In  the  night,  moreover,  they  must 
have  rested  and  eaten.  For  six  hundred  thou- 
sand men,  not  including  women  and  children, 
even  if  they  went  three  hundred  and  fifty,  or  even 
five  hundred  abreast,  must  have  taken  time. 

Thus  the  cry  of  Moses  seemed  to  Moses  indeed 
little,  but  to  God  great. 


w 


E  think  this  groaning  which  we  make  in 
these  terrors,  and  this  weakness,  scarcely 
to  be  a  groaning,  far  less  a  cry.  For  our  faith,  which 
in  temptation  thus  groaneth  unto  Christ,  is  very 
weak  if  we  consider  our  own  sense  and  feeling, 
and  therefore  we  hear  not  this  cry. 

But  to  the  searcher  of  hearts  this  small  and  fee- 
ble groaning  (as  it  seemeth  unto  us),  is  a  loud  and 
mighty  cry,  in  comparison  whereof  the  great  and 
horrible  roarings  of  the  law,  of  sin,  of  death,  of 
the  devil,  and  of  hell,  are  as  nothing,  neither  can 
they  even  be  heard.  It  filleth  heaven,  so  that 
the  angels  think  they  hear  nothing  but  this 
cry. 

These  feeble  cries  were  our  guns  and  artillery 
wherewith  we  have,  so  many  years,  scattered  the 
counsels  and  enterprises  of  our  adversaries. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  73 

NO  one  believes  how  mighty  and  strong  prayer 
is,  and  how  much  it  can  do,  save  he  who 
has  learned  by  experience  and  tried  it.  But  it  is 
a  great  thing,  when  any  one  feels  great  need 
pressing  on  him,  if  he  can  grasp  prayer. 

FOR  I  know,  as  often  as  I  have  earnestly 
prayed,  when  it  has  been  real  earnest  with 
me  I  have  indeed  been  richly  heard,  and  have 
obtained  more  than  I  have  prayed  for.  God  has 
for  a  time  delayed,  but  nevertheless  the  help 
has  come. 

Ah,  how  truly  grand  a  thing  is  the  honest 
prayer  of  a  true  Christian !  How  mighty  it 
is  with  God  ;  that  a  poor  human  creature  can 
so  speak  with  the  High  Majesty  in  Heaven, 
and  not  dread  him,  but  know  that  God  is  kindly 
smiling  on  him,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake.  His 
dear  Son,  our  Lord  and  Saviour!  To  this 
end,  the  heart  and  conscience  must  not  look 
back,  must  not  doubt  or  fear  on  account  of 
unworthiness. 

THE  ancients  have  well  described  prayer  as 
the  lifting  up  of  the  heart  to  God.  It  was 
well  said.  But  I  and  many  others  in  olden  times 
did  not  understand  the  definition  aright.  We 
spoke  and  boasted  of  "the  lifting  up  of  the  heart," 
the  '' ascensiis  mentis;''  but  our  syntax  failed, 
for  we  could  not  add    the    "  Deum^'    the    word 

God. 

4 


74  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

DEAR  brethren,  pray  with  the  heart,  some- 
times also  with  the  Hps  ;  for  prayer  sus- 
tains the  world  :  without  prayer  things  would  be 
far  otherwise. 

THE  prayer  of  the  Church  works  great  mira- 
cles. In  our  own  days  it  has  raised  three 
from  the  dead  ;  myself,  who  have  often  lain  sick 
to  death ;  my  wife  Kathe,  who  was  also  sick  to 
death  ;  and  Philip  Melanchthon,  who,  in  1540,  lay 
sick  to  death  at  Weimar. 

Yet  these  are  poor  miracles,  to  be  observed 
on  account  of  those  who  are  weak  in  faith. 

Far  greater  miracles  to  me  are  these : 
that  our  Lord  God  every  day  in  the  Church 
baptizes,  gives  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar, 
absolves,  and  delivers  from  sin,  from  death,  and 
eternal  damnation.  These  are  to  me  the  great 
miracles. 

What  a  strong  wall  and  fortification  to  the 
Church,  and  what  a  weapon  for  Christians  is 
prayer ! 

Ah,  what  an  excellent  Master  composed  the 
Lord's  Prayer !  What  an  endless  rhetoric  and 
eloquence  lies  hidden  in  those  words,  wherein 
all  things,  all  necessities,  are  comprehended. 

The  first  three  petitions  embrace  such  great, 
excellent,  and  heavenly  things,  that  no  heart  can 
ever  fathom  them. 

The  fourth  petition  gathers  together  all  policy 
and    economy,  national    and    domestic    govern- 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR   WARFARE.  75 

ment,  and  all  which  is  bodily  and  temporal, 
and  needful  for  this  life. 

The  fifth  contends  against  the  devil  of  a  bad 
conscience  ;  against  inborn  and  a6lual  sins, 
which  burden  the  conscience. 

Truly  One  who  is  wise  made  this  prayer,  whom 
no  man  can  rival. 

AH,  we  have  cried  and  prayed  so  long,  and 
Thou  wilt  not  give  us  rain  !  Surely,  if 
Thou  givest  not  rain,  Thou  wilt  give  something 
better — a  still  and  quiet  life. 

THE  prayer  of  the  heart,  and  the  complaints 
of  the  poor,  raise  such  a  cry  that  all  the 
angels  in  heaven  must  hear  it.  Our  Lord  God 
hears,  with  quick,  delicate  hearing,  the  faintest 
breath. 

THOSE  deep  sighs,  in  deep  necessities,  are 
the   true    great   clamor    and    fervent   cry 
before  which  the  heavens  are  rent. 

THE  catisa  cfficiens  of  prayer  is  simply  faith 
itself  Causa  per  accidens,  which  drives  us 
to  prayer,  is  necessity.  The  fo7'ma,  is  to  grasp 
the  mercy  so  freely  given.  Materia  circa  quam 
is  the  promise,  and  the  command  of  God  to  pray, 
to  which  prayer  holds  and  cleaves,  and  on  which  it 
is  based.     Finis  is  the  hearing  and  deliverance. 


y^  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

I  have    not    yet    prayed    the    whole    Psalter 
through.     The  Lord's  Prayer  is  my  prayer. 

GOD  gives  not  according  to  the  measure, 
manner,  and  time  that  we  would  pre- 
scribe. He  will  be  unfettered.  But  He  gives 
good  measure,  pressed  down  and  running  over, 
as  Christ  says. 

Thus  did  St.  Augustine's  mother.  She  asked 
that  her  son  might  be  converted.  But  it  came 
not  to  pass.  She  went  to  all  the  learned  men, 
that  they  might  persuade  him.  At  last  she  en- 
treated him  to  marry  a  Christian  maiden,  that 
she  might  bring  him  to  the  faith.  But  nothing 
succeeded. 

But  when  at  last  our  Lord  God  comes,  He 
comes  indeed,  and  makes  such  an  Augustine  of 
him,  that  to  this  day  he  is  called  a  light  of  the 
Church. 

SOME  have  vehemently  prayed  for  tempta- 
tion, that  they  might  not  grow  careless 
without  the  cross.  I,  however,  will  never  more 
pray  for  temptation,  but  only,  *'  Lead  me  not 
into  temptation." 

EVERY  sigh  of    a    Christian  is  a  prayer  ; 
when  he  sighs  he  prays. 

THIS  saying,  "Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive," 
means  nothing  less  than  ask,  call,  cry, 
knock,  knock  vehemently.  And  this  we  must 
do,  on  and  on,  without  ceasing. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  J  J 

l7itercession  for  tJiose  in  Authority. 

PRINCES  and  lords  are  poor  people,  espe- 
cially when  they  are  good  and  God-fear- 
ing ;  therefore  our  Lord  God  has  not  vainly  com- 
manded us  to  honor  and  pray  for  them. 

I  did  not  so  well  understand  this  command  until 
I  learned  it  with  reference  to  my  two  Ele61ors 
and  lords,  Duke  John  and  Duke  John  Frederic. 
Often  they  cannot  help  if  they  would.  There- 
fore they  sorely  need  the  prayer  of  Christians. 

Praying  and    Waiting. 

LET  us  pray  and  call  on  God  in  all  tribula- 
tions, and  wait. 
Let  us  keep  to  Christ,  and  cling  to  Him,  and 
hang  on  Him,   so  that  no   power  can  sever  us. 
Then  soon  we  shall  see  Him  with  joy,  at  that  Day. 

Thaiiksgiving, 

THANKSGIVING  makes  our  prayers  bold 
and  strong,  easy,  moreover,  pleasant  and 
sweet ;  feeds  and  enkindles  them  as  with  coals 
of  fire. 

Intercession. 

CHRIST  suffers  not  that  one  should  pray  for 
himself  alone,  but  for  the  whole  commu- 
nity of  all  men.  For  He  teaches  us  not  to  say  "  My 
Father,"  but  "  Our  Father."     Prayer  is  a  spirit- 


7S  THE  BA  TTLE -FIELD. 

ual,  common  possession  ;  therefore  we  must  de- 
spoil no  one  of  it,  not  even  our  enemies.  For  as 
He  is  the  Father  of  us  all,  He  wills  that  we  shall 
be  brothers  amongst  each  other,  and  pray  for 
one  another,  as  for  ourselves. 

Prayer  of  Luther^  Overheard  during  the 
Diet  of  Worms, 

ALMIGHTY,  everlasting  God,"  how  terrible 
this  world  is  !  How  it  would  open  its  jaws 
to  devour  me.  And  how  weak  is  my  trust  in 
Thee!  The  flesh  is  weak,  and  the  devil  is 
strong  !  O  Thou  my  God,  help  me  against  all 
the  wisdom  of  this  world.  Do  Thou  the  work. 
It  is  for  Thee  alone  to  do  it  ;  for  the  work  is 
Thine,  not  mine.  I  have  nothing  to  bring  me 
here.  I  have  no  controversy  to  maintain — not 
I — with  the  great  ones  of  the  earth.  I,  too, 
would  fain  that  my  days  should  glide  along,  happy 
and  calm.  But  the  cause  is  Thine.  It  is  righteous  ; 
it  is  eternal.  O  Lord,  help  me !  Thou  that 
art  faithful,  Thou  that  art  unchangeable !  It  is 
not  in  any  man  I  trust.  That  were  vain  indeed. 
All  that  is  in  man  gives  way  ;  all  that  comes 
from  man  faileth.  O  God,  my  God,  dost  Thou 
not  hear  me }  Art  Thou  dead }  No  ;  Thou 
canst  not  die.     Thou  art  hiding  Thyself 

Thou  hast  chosen  me  for  this  work.  I  know 
it.  Oh,  then,  arise  and  work  !  Be  Thou  on  my 
side,  for  the  sake   of  Thy  beloved   Son,  Jesus 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  79 

Christ,  who    is    my  defence,  my  shield,  and   my 
fortress. 

O  Lord  my  God,  where  art  Thou  ?  Come  ; 
come  !  I  am  ready — ready  to  forsake  Hfe  for  Thy 
truth  ;  patient  as  a  lamb.  For  it  is  a  righteous 
cause,  and  it  is  Thine  own.  I  will  not  depart 
from  Thee  now,  nor  through  eternity.  And  al- 
though the  world  should  be  full  of  demons  ; 
although  my  body  (which,  nevertheless,  is  the 
work  of  Thy  hands)  should  be  doomed  to  bite  the 
dust,  to  be  stretched  on  the  rack,  cut  into  pieces, 
consumed  to  ashes,  the  soul  is  Thine.  Yes  ;  for 
this  I  have  the  assurance  of  Thy  Word.  My 
soul  is  Thine.  It  will  abide  near  Thee  through- 
out the  endless  ages.  Amen.  O  God,  help  Thou 
me !     Amen. 

Amen,  amen — that  means  Yes,  yes;  that  shall 
be  done. 


(^l)C  lllov^  of  ^olr. 

THE  Word  of  God  is  a  fiery  shield,  for  this 
reason,  that  it  is  more  enduring  and 
purer  than  gold  tried  in  the  fire ;  which  gold 
loses  nothing  in  the  fire,  but  it  stands  the  fire, 
endures,  and  overcomes  all  trial.  So,  he  who 
believes  in  the  Word  of  God,  overcomes  all, 
and  continues  eternally  secure  against  all  mis- 
fortune. This  shield  shrinks  not  from  the  gates 
of  hell,  but  the  gates  of  hell  tremble  before  it. 


So  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

THE  words  of  the  Lord  Christ  are  the  most 
powerful  ;  they  have  hands  and  feet,  and 
overcome  all  attacks,  all  subtilties  and  devices  of 
the  wise.  Thus  we  see  in  the  Gospel  how  Christ, 
with  quite  simple,  common  words,  brought  to 
shame  the  wisdom  of  the  Pharisees,  so  that  they 
could  find  no  escape  from  them. 

It  is  a  very  acute  and  conclusive  syllogism, 
when  the  Lord  says,  '^Render  unto  Ccesar  the 
thino-s  that  are  Ccesar  s :''  for  He  neither  bids 
nor  forbids  to  pay  the  tribute,  but  answers  them 
with  their  own  arguments  ;  as  if  He  had  said, 
"  If,  indeed,  you  have  suffered  Caesar  to  make 
such  inroads  that  you  have,  and  use  his  coinage, 
then  give  him  what  you  owe  him." 

THERE  is  no   greater  grace  or  possession 
than  to  believe  that  God  speaks  to  us.     If 
we  believed  that,  we  should  be  already  blessed. 

Co^nmentaries. 

THROUGH  so  many  commentaries  and 
books  the  dear  Bible  is  buried,  so  that  people 
do  not  look  at  the  text  itself  It  is  far  better  to 
see  with  our  own  eyes  than  with  other  people's 
eyes.  For  which  reason  I  could  wish  that  all 
my  own  books  were  buried  nine  ells  deep  in  the 
earth,  on  account  of  the  bad  example  they  may 
give  to  others  to  follow  me  in  writing  multitudes 
of  books. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  8 1 


The  Second  Psalm, 

THIS  is  a  right  lofty  psalm  against  the 
enemies  of  God.  It  begins  softly  and 
simply,  but  it  goes  out  with  magnificence.  It 
is  a  lofty,  noble  psalm.  It  says,  Come  and  see 
what  the  Lord  doeth.  He  has  been  now  six 
thousand  years  in  the  Council,  ruling  and  mak- 
ing all  laws.  Habitator  cccli.  He  that  dwelleth 
in  the  heavens  takes  our  cause  in  hand. 

MANY  foes,  Egyptian,  Babylonian,  Persian, 
Greek,  and  Roman,  have  raged  against  the 
Bible,  endeavoring  to  extirpate  it  ;  but  they 
have  been  able  to  accomplish  nothing.  They 
are  all  gone,  but  the  book  remains  for  ever  perfe6l. 
Who  then  has  preserved  it,  and  defended  it  with 
such  great  power }  No  one  surely  but  God 
Himself,  who  is  the  Master.  And  it  is  a  great 
miracle  that  God  has  preserved  the  book  so  long, 
for  the  devil  and  the  world  hate  it  bitterly. 

THE  resurre6lion  of  the  Lord  Christ  through 
the  Word  does  not  take  place  without  an 
earthquake,  as  Christ  Himself  also  did  not  come 
forth  from  the  grave  without  an  earthquake. 

But  such  an  earthquake  is  pleasanter  to  true 
hearts,  than  that  Christ  should  lie  in  the  grave 
and  rest.     When    there    is   peace   and    rest  in 

Christendom  it  is  a  bad  sign. 

4* 


82  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

WHEN  the  devil  finds  me  idle  and  unarmed, 
not  heeding  God's  Word,  he  works  on  my 
conscience  that  I  have  taught  wrong,  and  stirred 
up  by  my  do6lrine  much  offence  and  division 
compared  with  the  former  state  of  the  Church, 
which  was  still  and  peaceful. 

I  cannot  deny  I  am  often  in  depression  and 
anguish  on  this  account ;  but  when  I  grasp  the 
Word  of  God,  I  have  won  the  battle. 

WE  see,  and  experience  teaches  us,  how 
powerful  and  strong  Divine  Truth  is  ;  it 
presses  through  all  the  obstacles  by  which  it  is 
hemmed  in ;  the  more  we  read  it,  the  more  it 
moves  us  ;  it  takes  the  heart  captive,  and  creates 
other  good  thoughts. 


®l)e  Sacraments. 

Holy  Baptism, 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTHER  asked  Doc- 
tor Hieronymus  Weller  "  How  it  went  with 
him.''"  "Sadly  and  mournfully,"  said  he;  "I 
know  not  how  it  is."  Whereon  Dr.  Martin  Lu- 
ther replied,  "Have  you,  then,  not  been  baptized  ?  " 
What  a  great  gift  of  God  is  baptism  !  What  a 
great  gift  also  is  the  Word  of  God  ;  we  should 
thank  God  from  our  hearts  that  we  have  His 
Word.     For  it  is  God  who  comforts  and  strength- 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  83 

ens  us,  and  who  has  given  us  His  Holy  Spirit  for 
a  pledge  and  a  foretaste. 

HEAVEN  is  given  to  me  freely,  and  is  my 
(royal)  gift,  and  I  have  letters  and  seals  for 
it ;  that  is,  I  am  baptized  and  go  to  the  sacrament. 
Therefore  I  take  care  of  the  letter,  that  the  devil 
may  not  tear  it  in  pieces  ;  that  is,  I  live  and  abide 
in  the  fear  of  God,  and  pray  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

God  could  not  have  given  me  salvation  and  the 
gospel  save  through  the  death,  the  suffering,  and 
dying  of  His  dear  Son.  And  when  I  believe 
that  He  has  overcome  death,  and  has  died  for 
me,  and  I  look  at  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
then  I  have  the  letter  complete,  and  the  seal  of 
baptism  and  of  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  (the 
true  essential  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Christ) 
affixed  to  it ;  thus  I  am  well  provided  for. 

We  should  hold  it  certain  that  baptism  is 
God's  ordinance,  which  He  has  appointed,  that 
we  may  know  where  we  may  surely  find  Him. 
He  seeks  us  ;  He  comes  to  us  ;  we  cannot  come 
to  Him  of  ourselves. 

The  Sacrament  of  the  Altar. 
"  ^  [  ^HE  true  cause  of  this  sacrament,"  said 
X  Dr.  Martin  Luther,  "is  the  word  and 
appointment  of  Christ,  who  has  instituted  and 
established  it.  The  materia  is  bread  and  wine  ; 
\\\t form  is  the  true  body  and  blood  of  Christ; 
\.h.Q  Ji?ial  catise  whereto  it  is  ordained  is  the  7ise 
and  fruit,  that  we  may  strengthen  our  faith,  and 


84  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

not  doubt  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  given  for  us, 
and  His  blood  poured  out  for  us,  and  that  our  sins 
are  surely  forgiven  us  through  the  death  of  Christ." 

THIS  sacrament  can  only  be  received  and 
embraced  by  the  heart  ;  for  it  is  not  with 
the  hand  that  we  receive  such  a  gift  and  eternal 
treasure. 

THIS  benefit  and  grace  have  we  now  re- 
ceived, that  Christ  is  our  Saviour,  not  our 
severe  Judge  ;  our  Redeemer  and  Deliverer,  not 
our  accuser  and  jailer  who  takes  us  captive. 
For  we  are  all  sinners  in  Adam,  guilty  of  eternal 
death,  and  condemned ;  but  we  are  all  now 
justified,  redeemed,  and  consecrated  by  the 
blood  of  Christ.     Let  us  grasp  this  with  faith. 

The  Vow  of  Baptism  the  True  a7id  Highest 

Vow. 

A  CARNAL  man  does  not  understand  why 
Paul  so  often  boasts  that  he  is  an  apostle  of 
Jesus  Christ  according  to  the  will  of  God.  This 
boasting  was  as  necessary  to  him  in  heavy 
temptation  as  an  article  of  the  faith.  Satan  had 
gained  far  more  advantage  over  me,  also,  if  I 
had  not  been  a  doctor  by  vocation. 

It  is  not  a  little  thing  to  change  the  whole 
religion  and  do6lrine  of  the  Papacy.  How  hard 
it  was  to  me,  will  be  seen  in  that  Day  ;  now  no 
one  believes  it. 

Gladly,  at  first,  would  I  have  subjeded  myself 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  85 

to  the  Pope  and  his  clergy  ;  they,  however,  would 
not  receive  such  humility  and  obedience  from 
me,  but  insisted,  as  to-day,  that  I  should  give  the 
lie  to  God,  deny  Christ,  call  His  gospel  heresy. 
Before  I  do  that,  I  would,  if  God  willed,  and  if  "it 
were  possible,  rather  be  burned  ten  times  over. 

In  my  baptism  I  promised  my  Lord  Christ  I 
would  believe  on  Him,  and  cleave  fast  to  Him. 
This,  by  His  grace,  working,  and  help,  I  will  do. 
To  this  I  keep  in  all  my  temptations  (namely,  to 
the  vow  which  I  made  in  baptism,  which  is  the 
true  and  highest  vow,  that  I  would  be  faithful  to 
Him),  whereon  He,  on  His  part,  promised  He 
would  be  my  God.  If  I  had  not  had  this  conso- 
lation, I  had  long  before  fainted  for  great  anguish 
in  my  heavy  temptations.  The  dear  Lord  help 
further.  Amen  ! 

C"^  OD  speaks  to  me  in  His  word  through  His 
y  ministers  (as  Christ  says,  "  He  who  hear- 
eth  you  heareth  Me  "),  and  says  to  me,  "  I  have 
baptized  thee  and  received  thee  for  my  child,  for 
Christ's  sake,  my  beloved  Son,  who  counted  not 
His  life  dear  unto  Him  to  redeem  thee.  In  him 
are  hidden  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge, and  these  I  give  to  thee  to  be  thine  own." 
This  only  comforts.  If  Christ  is  lost,  all  is  lost 
in  heaven  and  on  earth. 


I 


T  is  far  too  long  a  delay,  if  we  wait  to  learn 
to  know  Christ   until  the  last  confli6l.     He 


86  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

came  to  us  in  baptism,  and  has  been  with  us 
always,  and  has  already  made  the  bridge  for  us 
on  which  we  pass  from  this  life  through  death 
into  the  life  beyond. 

CHRIST  was  offered  once  for  all ;  now  He 
requires  nothing  but  that  we  should  give 
Him  thanks  forever. 

HE  who  receives  a  sacrament  does  not  per- 
form a  good  work  ;  he  receives  a  benefit. 
In  the  mass  we  give  Christ  nothing  ;  we  only 
receive  from  Him. 

IT  is  not  the  external  eating  which  makes  the 
Christian.  It  is  the  internal  and  spiritual 
eating  which  is  the  work  of  faith,  and  without 
which  all  external  things  are  mere  empty  shows 
and  vain  grimaces. 

This  spiritual  bread  is  the  consolation  of  the 
affli6led,  the  cure  of  the  sick,  the  life  of  the  dy- 
ing, food  to  the  hungry,  the  treasure  of  the  poor. 


IJrcacljing. 

Preparation  for  Preaching. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  said  to  a  pastor,  "  When 
you  are  about  to  preach,  speak  to  God, 
and  say,  *  My  Lord  God,  I  wish  to  preach  to 
Thine  honor,  to  speak  of  Thee,  to  praise  Thee, 
to  glorify  thy  name.'  " 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  ^J 

Think  not  of  me,  nor  of  Philip,  nor  any  of  the 
learned,  but  remember  you  are  then  most  learned 
in  the  pulpit  when  you  speak  of  God.  I  have  never 
been  troubled  because  I  could  not  preach  well ; 
but  often,  because  I  had  to  speak,  before  the  face 
of  God,  of  His  great  Majesty  and  Divine  Being. 

ONCE,  when  Dr.  Martin  sat  under  the  pear- 
tree  in  his  garden,  he  asked  Magister  An- 
thony Lauterbach  how  he  prospered  with  his 
preaching  }  When  he  complained  of  his  tempt- 
ations, difficulties,  and  weakness,  Dr.  Martin 
said,  "  Ah,  my  friend,  so  it  has  been  with  me. 
I  have  dreaded  the  pulpit  quite  as  much  as  you 
can  ;  yet  I  had  to  go  on. 

"  But  you  want  to  be  a  master  all  at  once. 
Perhaps  you  are  seeking  honor,  and  are  therefore 
tempted.  You  should  preach  for  our  Lord  God, 
and  not  regard  how  men  think  and  judge.  If  any 
one  can  do  better,  let  him  ;  do  you  preach  Christ 
and  the  Catechism.  Such  wisdom  will  lift  you 
above  the  judgments  of  all  men,  their  praise  or 
blame  ;  for  this  wisdom  is  God's,  wiser  than  men. 

"  You  need  not  expedl  praise  from  me ;  if  I 
hear  you,  I  shall  be  sure  to  find  fault ;  for  you 
young  (journeymen)  preachers  must  be  set  down, 
lest  you  become  ambitious  and  proud.  But  this 
thou  shouldst  ascertain  ;  that  thou  art  called  to 
this,  that  Christ  hath  need  of  thee  to  help  praise 
Him.  On  this  stand  firm  ;  let  who  will  praise 
or  blame,  that  is  not  thy  concern." 


SB  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

DR.  MARTIN  exhorted  the  clergy  that  they 
should  not  torture  and  detain  their  hear- 
ers with  long  sermons,  "  For/'  said  he,  "  the 
pleasure  of  listening  passes  away  from  them  ; 
and  the  preachers  do  them  hurt  and  violence 
with  long  preaching."  "  Some,"  said  Dr.  Martin, 
"  plague  the  people  with  too  long  sermons  ;  for 
the  faculty  of  listening  is  a  tender  thing,  and 
soon  becomes  weary  and  satiated." 

HE  was  asked,  " Which  was  the  greater,  to 
controvert  adversaries,  or  to  exhort  and 
hold  up  the  weak  "i  " 
He  answered  and  said  : 

"  Both  are  good  and  needful,  although  to  com- 
fort the  faint-hearted  is  something  greater ;  and 
yet  the  weak  themselves  are  edified  and  improved 
by  hearing  the  faith  contended  for.  Each  is 
God's  gift." 

YOU  should  not  attempt  to  judge  or  criticise 
yourself  It  often  happens  to  me  that  I 
am  ashamed  of  my  sermon  when  I  have  finished 
it,  and  think  how  cold  it  has  been  ;  yet  others 
have  afterwards  commended  the  same  sermon 
much  to  me. 

The  Best  Teachers  always  Learners. 

IT  is  a  true  word  in  theology,  that  those  who 
think    they    know   anything    know   really 
nothing.      For   he  who  truly  hears  and   learns 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  89 

God's  Word,  can  never  wonder  at  it  enough,  or 
learn  it  to  the  bottom.  Let  every  one  humble 
himself  and  remain  a  learner  therein. 

D7\  Luther  s  Portrait  of  a  good  Preacher, 

A  GOOD  preacher  should  have  these  virtues 
and  qualities. 

First,  he  should  be  able  to  teach  plainly  and 
in  order. 

Secondly,  he  should  have  a  good  head. 

Thirdly,  he  should  have  good  power  of  speech. 

Fourthly,  a  good  voice. 

Fifthly,  a  good  memory. 

Sixthly,  he  should  know  when  to  stop. 

Seventhly,  he  should  be  sure  what  he  means  to 
say,  and  should  study  diligently. 

Eighthly,  he  should  be  ready  to  stake  body  and 
life,  goods  and  glory,  on  its  truth. 

Ninthly,  he  must  suffer  himself  to  be  vexed  and 
criticised  by  everybody. 

Keeping  to  the  Point. 

WHOEVER    understands    a   subject    thor- 
oughly  and  intimately,    can    speak  well 
about  it. 

"  T  endeavor   in  my  sermons,"   said  Dj.    Mar- 

-L    tin,  "  to  take  a  text  and  keep  to  it  ;  and 

so  to  show  it  to  the  people,  and  spread  it  out 

before  them,  that  they  may  say,  *  This  is  what 


90  THE  BATTLE-FJELD. 

the  sermon  was  about.'  Soldiers  should  not 
greet  every  one  they  meet.  Dr.  Pommer  is  too 
much  given  sometimes  to  take  with  him  every- 
thing he  meets  on  his  way.  See  what  the  main 
point  is,  and  keep  to  it." 

Simplicity. 

LET  all  thy  sermons  be  of  the  simplest.  Look 
not  to  the  princes,  but  to  the  simple, 
unwise,  rude,  and  unlearned  people  ;  for  the 
prince  is  made  of  the  same  stuff.  If  I  in  my 
sermons  were  to  regard  Philip  Melanchthon  and 
the  other  do6lors,  I  should  do  no  good  ;  but  I 
preach  in  the  simplest  way  to  the  unlearned,  and 
that  pleases  all.  (I  keep  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
for  the  times  when  we  learned  men  are  alone  to- 
gether. Then  we  can  talk  such  crabbed  stuff 
they  may  well  wonder  at  us  in  heaven.) 

A  PREACHER  should  have  the  skill  to 
teach  the  unlearned,  simply,  roundly,  and 
plainly ;  for  teaching  is  of  more  importance 
than  exhorting. 

NO  one  should  preach  for  me  and  Philip, 
however  much  we  might  learn  from  it. 
Preaching  should  not  be  magnificent  with  great, 
splendid,  labored  words,  that  men  may  see  how 
learned  we  are.  Ah,  that  is  worth  nothing.  In 
the   church   every   one  should    use   the  simple 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  QT 

mother-tongue,  such  as    every  one   can   under- 
stand. 

The  do6lors  are  present  by  forty,  young  peo- 
ple and  unlearned  by  the  thousand. 

HE  who  has  one  word  of  God  and  cannot 
make  a  sermon  out  of  it  can  never  be  a 
preacher. 

TO  preach  simply  is  a  high  art.  Christ  does 
it  himself.  He  speaks  of  husbandry, 
of  sowing  seed,  and  uses  simple  peasants' 
similes. 

ALBRECHT  DURER,  the  famous  painter," 
said  Dr.  Luther,  "  used  to  say  he  had  no 
pleasure  in  pi6lures  that  were  painted  with  many 
colors,  but  in  those  which  were  painted  with  a 
choice  simplicity."  So  it  is  with  me  as  to 
sermons. 

IF  I  had  to  preach  only  to  Dr.  Hieronymus, 
or  to  Philip,  I  would  not  make  another  ser- 
mon my  life-long,  for  they  understand  well 
enough  already.  Children,  men-servants,  and 
maid-servants  attend  our  churches  ;  to  these  we 
must  preach  ;  these  need  our  preaching,  not  the 
learned.  It  is  the  poor  young  people  and  the 
simple  with  whom  we  have  to  do  ;  to  these  we 
must  come  down. 

So  did  the  Lord  Christ  ;  He  speaks  as  if  for 


92  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

His  audience  He  had  none  other  than  my  Httle 
Martin,  Paul  and  Magdalene.  When,  indeed.  He 
comes  to  the  Pharisees,  He  gives  them  severe 
strokes. 

We  should  preach  to  the  little  children  ;  for 
the  sake  of  such  as  these  the  office  of  preaching 
is  instituted. 

Dr.  Martin  said  the  best  books  of  the  Bible  to 
preach  from,  were  the  Psalter,  the  Gospel  of  St. 
John,  and  St.  Paul  ;  but  for  the  common  people, 
and  the  young,  the  other  Gospels. 

WE  must  not  teach  the  common  people  about 
high,  difficult  things,  and  with  subtle 
words,  for  they  cannot  comprehend.  Into  the 
church  come  poor  little  children,  maidens,  old 
women  and  men,  to  whom  such  teaching  is  use- 
less ;  and  even  if  they  say,  "  Ah,  he  said  precious 
things  ;  he  made  a  fine  discourse  !  "  if  one  asks 
them  further,  "  What  did  he  say  t "  they  often 
reply,  "  Ah,  I  do  not  know."  To  poor  people  we 
must  call  white,  white,  and  black,  black,  all  in 
the  simplest  way. 

Ah,  what  pains  our  Lord  Christ  took  to  teach 
simply.  From  vineyards,  sheep,  and  trees  He 
drew  His  similes  ;  anything  in  order  that  the 
multitudes  might  understand,  embrace,  and  re- 
tain it. 

Earnestness. 

THIS  is  not  the  time  for  jest,  but  for  earnest. 
"  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth."     Salt  bites 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  93 

and  pains,  but  it  cleanses  and  preserves  from 
corruption. 

Feeding  and  Guarding, 

IN  a  true,  good  shepherd,  feeding  and  guard- 
ing must  be  combined  ;  for,  if  the  guarding 
fails,  the  wolf  will  devour  all  the  more  readily  the 
sheep  which  are  well  fed. 

A  preacher  must  be  both  a  warrior  and  a 
shepherd.  To  feed  is  to  teach,  and  that  is  the 
most  difficult  art ;  but  it  is  needful  also  to  be 
able  to  contend  and  defend. 

The  Best  Kind  of  Controversy. 

I  COUNSEL  those  who  preach  in  papal 
countries  to  teach  the  Gospel  simply,  with- 
out any  snapping  or  biting.  If  they  do  this  the 
Pope  will  fall,  for  he  does  not  stand  on  the 
Gospel. 

Religioics    Vanity,  Gloria  Religionis. 

HE  complained  much  of  the  vanity  and  self- 
sufficiency  of  the  clergy,  especially  of 
the  younger.  '*  A  new  Jurist,"  he  said,  "  is  in 
his  first  year  a  Justinian  ;  that  is,  he  thinks  him- 
self superior  to  all  the  do61ors,  and  has  nothing 
but  law  in  his  head  ;  the  second  year  he  is  a 
Do6lor ;  the  third,  a  Licentiate  ;  the  fourth,  a 
Bachelor  ;  the  fifth,  a  Student." 


E 


VERY  one  should  be  content  with  his  own 
gifts  which    (lod    has  given  him  ;   for  we 


94  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

cannot  all  be  Pauls  and  John  Baptists ;  there 
must  also  be  Tituses  and  Timothys.  We  need 
in  any  building  more  common  stones  than  cor- 
ner stones. 

Excelleiice  of  the  Office  of  the  Preacher  and 

Teacher, 

HE  who  thinks  lightly  of  preachers  and  of 
women  will  never  come  to  good  ;  as  is 
commonly  said.  The  office  of  the  preacher,  and 
women,  the  mothers  of  our  children,  must  be 
held  in  all  honor,  that  these  be  kept  right  and 
pure.  The  rule  of  the  home  and  the  State  de- 
pends on  them.  Whosoever,  therefore,  despises 
these,  and  sets  them  at  naught,  despises  God 
and  man. 

I  WOULD  wish  that  no  one  were  suffered 
to  be  a  preacher  until  he  had  first  been  a 
schoolmaster.  Now,  young  men  go  at  once 
from  the  school  to  the  pulpit.  But  when  any 
one  has  kept  a  school  for  ten  years,  he  may  leave 
it  with  a  good  conscience.  The  work  is  too 
heavy  and  too  little  esteemed.  Yet  a  school- 
master is  as  necessary  in  a  town  as  a  pastor. 
We  might  more  easily  do  without  burgomasters, 
princes,  and  nobles,  than  without  schools,  for 
these  must  govern  the  world. 

No  potentate  or  lord  but  needs  to  be  guided 
by  a  jurist  or  theologian  ;  and  these  come  from 
schools. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  95 

If  I  were  no  preacher,  I  know  no  calling  on 
earth  that  I  should  prefer  to  that  of  a  school- 
master. But  we  must  not  look  at  what  the  world 
rewards  and  esteems  ;  we  must  consider  what 
God  esteems  and  will  honor  in  that  Day. 

Trials  ajid  Burdens  of  the  Preacher. 

TO  be  a  true  pastor  and  preacher  is  a  great 
thing  ;   and  if  our  Lord  God  Himself  did 
not  give  strength,  the  thing  could  not  be. 

It  needs  a  great  soul  to  serve  the  people  with 
body  and  soul,  goods  and  honor,  and  to  suffer 
for  it  the  greatest  peril  and  ingratitude. 

Therefore  it  was  that  Christ  said  to  Peter, 
*^  Peter,  lovest  thou  Mef  and  repeats  it  three 
times,  and  then  says,  ''  Feed  My  sheep!'  It  is  as 
if  He  said  :  "  If  thou  wilt  be  a  true  shepherd 
and  friend  of  souls,  thou  must  be  so  from  love  to 
Me."  Otherwise  it  is  impossible.  For  who  will 
and  can  suffer  ingratitude,  spend  his  health  and 
substance  in  study,  and,  for  a  reward,  stand  in 
the  greatest  peril }  Therefore  He  says  :  "  It  is 
a  necessity  that  thou  shouldst  love  Me." 

I  HAVE  begun,  and  I  will  persevere.  I  would 
not  take  the  whole  world  to  begin  again,  so 
exceeding  great  and  heavy  are  the  cares  and 
sorrows  of  this  office.  Dear  sirs,  it  is  no  child's 
play.  Nevertheless,  when  I  look  at  Him  who 
has  called  me,  I  would  not  wish  not  to  have  un- 
dertaken it. 


96  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

IF  I  were  to  write  of  the  burdens  which  a 
preacher  must  bear,  as  I  have  experienced 
them,  I  should  terrify  every  one  from  the  office. 
A  true  God-fearing  preacher  must  be  so  minded, 
that  nothing  is  dearer  to  him  than  Christ  his 
Lord  and  Saviour,  and  the  future  eternal  life  ; 
so  that  when  he  has  lost  this  life  and  all  things, 
Christ  may  say  to  him,  "  Come  hither  to  Me  ; 
thou  hast  been  my  good  and  faithful  servant." 

IT  was  once  asked,  when  two  preachers  at 
Nlirnberg  had  died  of  the  Plague,  "  if  a 
preacher,  whose  office  is  only  preaching,  may, 
with  a  good  conscience,  refuse  his  services  to  the 
sick,  and  not  visit  them  in  times  of  pestilence." 

Thereupon  Dr.  Martin  Luther  answered  and 
said: 

"  By  all  that  is  most  sacred.  No  !  The  preach- 
ers must  not  flee  too  readily,  lest  they  make  the 
people  fearful,  and  they  should  come  to  disregard 
the  priests,  seeing  that  at  such  a  time  none  will 
come  to  them.  It  is  not  good,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  all  should  stay. 

"  If  the  lot  fell  on  me  to  stay,  I  would  not  shrink, 
nor  fear.  I  have  now  survived  three  pestilences, 
and  have  been  with  many  who  have  suffered  ;  but, 
thank  God,  I  took  no  harm.  I  came  home  and 
stroked  my  little  Margarethe  on  the  cheek,  with- 
out washing  my  hands.  But  I  had  forgotten,  or 
I  would  not  have  done  it.  It  would  have  been 
tempting  God." 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.  9/ 

ST.  JEROME  has  written  about  the  Book  of 
Job  ;  but  he  wrote  only  thoughts,  for  he 
had  not  experienced  the  deepest  temptations  {i.e.y 
spiritual,  not  fleshly).  If  I  could  have  preached 
in  my  sickness,  I  could  have  made  many  a  beau- 
tiful sermon  on  temptation  ;  for  then  I  learned 
to  understand  the  Psalter  and  its  consolations  a 
little. 

THE  good  Paul  had  to  suffer  and  see  many 
things,  as  God  says  of  him  :  **  /  will  show 
Jiini  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  My  names 
sake!'  He  soon  lays  on  his  neck  the  Pati, — 
the  yoke  of  suffering  ;  and  he  experienced  it  in- 
deed. Such  heart-sorrow  as  is  far  worse  than 
death.  It  is  called  martyrum  interpretativtiin, 
martyrdom  without  blood,  wherein  we  are  indeed 
burned  and  tortured. 

Rewards  of  the  Preachers. 

IF  we  are  found  true  to  our  calling  we  shall 
receive  honor  enough ;  not,  however,  in  this 
life,  but  in  the  life  to  come. 

There  we  shall  be  crowned  with  the  unfading 
crown  of  glory,  as  St.  Paul  says,  which  is  laid  up 
for  us  in  heaven.  But  here  on  earth,  saith  the 
Lord  Christ,  we  shall  not  have  glory,  for  it  is 
written  :  "  Woe  unto  you  when  all  men  speak  well 
of  yo7C. 

For  we  do  not  belong  to  this  life,  but  are  called 
to  another,  and  a  far  better. 


9^'  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

I  will  not  be  crowned  on  earth  by  men. 
I  choose  to  have  my  recompense  from  God,  the 
just  Judge,  in  heaven. 


|3attaice  as  a  llUapon. 

Patience  is  the  best  Virtue, 

IF  thou  wilt  learn  to  overcome  the  greatest, 
fiercest,  and  most  spiteful  enemies,  who 
would  fain  crush  thee,  and  do  thee  all  possible 
harm  in  body  and  soul,  purchase  before  all  things 
one  weapon,  and  give  all  thou  hast  to  learn  how 
to  exercise  it.  And  know  that  it  is  one  sweet, 
lovely  little  herb,  which  serves  this  purpose 
best,  which  is  called  Patientia. 

"  Ah,  "  sayest  thou,  "  how  can  I  find  this  medi- 
cine ?"  The  answer  is,  "  Take  faith  to  thee, 
which  says  that  no  one  can  hurt  thee  unless  God 
wills  it.  If  evil  comes  to  thee,  it  comes  to  thee 
from  God's  kind  and  gracious  will.  So  that  thy 
foe  does  himself  a  thousandfold  greater  hurt 
than  thee." 

For  from  this  faith  flows  love,  which  says  :  "I 
will  still  render  good  for  evil,  heap  coals  of  fire 
on  his  head."  This  love  is  the  Christian's  armor 
and  coat  of  mail,  wherewith  he  casts  down  his 
foes,  though  they  seem  like  great  mountains,  and 
are  not  to  be  cast  down  by  iron  and  steel.  This 
same  love  teaches  us  patiently  to  suffer  all  things. 


THE  WEAPONS  OF  OUR  WARFARE.         99 

NO  one  does  me  hurt,  but  it  will  hurt  him  in 
the  end  ;  for  he  has  to  die.     I  sin  not  in 
suffering,  but  he  who  makes  me  suffer,  sins. 

Patience  zvitli  the  Misled,  and  Anger  against 
those  who  Mislead. 

ST.  PAUL  showeth  towards  the  Galatians  a 
fatherly  and  motherly  affedlion,  and  speak- 
eth  them  very  fair,  and  yet  in  such  a  sort  that 
he  reproveth  them. 

Contrariwise,  he  is  very  hot  and  full  of  indig- 
nation against  those  false  apostles  their  seducers  ; 
he  bursteth  into  plain  thunderings  and  light- 
nings against  them. 

This  example  must  we  also  follow,  that  we 
may  show  ourselves  to  bear  like  affe6tion  toward 
such  as  are  misled. 

But  as  for  the  devil  and  his  ministers,  against 
them  we  ought  to  be  impatient,  proud,  sharp  and 
bitter,  detesting  and  condemning  their  false 
jugglings  and  deceits  with  as  much  rigor  and 
severity  as  may  be.  So  parents,  when  their  child 
is  hurt  with  the  biting  of  a  dog,  are  wont  to  pur- 
sue the  dog  only  ;  but  the  weeping  child  they 
bemoan,  and  speak  fair  unto  it,  comforting  it  with 
the  most  sweet  words. 


IV. 

THE  ARMIES  OF  HEAVEN. 


^t  €l)urcl). 


As  it  stands  in  the  third  article  of  our  faith,  one  holy  catholic — that  is,  uni- 
versal— Church,  the  communion  of  saints." 


HE  Church  is  an  assembly  of  people 
that  depends  on  things  which  do  not 
appear,  nor  can  be  apprehended  by 
the  senses  ;  namely,  on  the  Word 
alone.  This  people  believes  what  the  Word  says, 
and  gives  God  the  glory  of  trusting  that  what  He 
promises  us  therein  is  true. 


T 


HE    Church  is   never  in  a  more  perilous 
state  than  when  she  has  quiet  and  peace. 


GOD  has  set  His  Church  and  Christian  com- 
munity in  the  midst  of  the    world,   amid 
infinite  external    a6lion,    manifold    occupations. 


THE  ARMIES  OF  HEA  VEN.  I O I 

callings  and  standings,  to  the  end  that  Christians 
should  not  be  monks,  nor  fly  into  cloisters  or 
wildernesses,  but  should  live  amongst  people  and 
be  sociable,  that  their  works  of  faith  may  be  open 
and  manifest. 

To  live  in  society  and  friendship  with  each 
other,  as  Aristotle  the  heathen  says,  is  not  in- 
deed the  end  of  man,  whereunto  he  is  created, 
but  only  a  means  to  the  end. 

The  most  excellent  end  for  which  we  are 
created  is  that  one  should  teach  another  about 
God,  what  He  is  in  His  being,  what  His  will  is, 
how  He  is  minded  towards  us. 

Therefore  let  us  in  the  Church,  with  the  Church, 
pray  for  the  Church.  For  there  are  three  things 
which  preserve  the  Church,  and  essentially  belong 
to  the  Church  :  firstly,  to  teach  faithfully  ;  sec- 
ondly, to  pray  diligently ;  thirdly,  to  suffer  really 
(mit  Ernst). 

THE  labor  and  travail  of  the  Church  lasts  a 
long  time  ;  but  one  day  her  day  and  hour 
will  come,  that  she  shall  be  redeemed,  and  joy- 
ful indeed  will  be  her  aspe6l  then. 

THE  outward  form  and  aspe6l  of  the  Church 
is  without  form  or  comeliness,  sad  and 
troubled  ;  but  in  truth  she  is  triumphing  and 
gaining  the  victory  with  Christ.  "  He  has  set 
us  in  the  heavenly  places  together  with  Christ." 
As  a  bride  is  Domina  and  lady  of  her  husband's 


102  THE  BATTLE-FIELD, 

possessions,  so  is  a  believer  lord  of  all  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  Bridegroom  ;  for  he  is  quickened 
with  Christ,  and  set  in  heavenly  places  with  Him. 
God  looks  not  on  the  evil  in  His  Church,  but 
only  on  Christ,  His  dear  Son,  whom  He  holds  so 
dearly  beloved,  that  for  that  love's  sake  He  sees 
no  evil  in  His  Bride,  for  "  He  has  cleansed  her 
through  the  washing  of  water,  by  the  Word." 

Why  the  Church  07i  Earth  is  in  TribiUation. 

FIRSTLY,  that  we  should  be  reminded  and 
warned  that  we  are  exiled  servants,  cast 
out  of  Paradise  on  account  of  Adam's  fall  in 
Paradise. 

Secondly,  that  we  may  think  of  the  sufferings 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  for  our  sake  became 
man,  took  our  flesh  and  blood  on  Him,  yet  with- 
out sin,  has  walked  through  this  valley  of  sor- 
rows, has  suffered  and  died  for  us,  and  has  risen 
again  from  the  dead,  and  has  thus  restored  us  to 
our  Fatherland  from  which  we  were  exiled. 

Thirdly,  that  such  tribulation  might  teach  and 
remind  us  that  our  citizenship  is  not  of  this 
world,  but  that  we  here  on  earth  are  only  pil- 
grims, and  that  another  life,  the  life  eternal,  re- 
mains to  us. 

A^nara^ith  a  Type  of  the  Chtirch. 

AMARANTH  grows  in  August,  and  is  more 
a  stalk  than  a  flower,  is  easily  broken  off, 


THE  ARMIES  OF  HEAVEN.  IO3 

yet  grows  fair  and  flourishing  after  being  broken. 
And  when  all  the  flowers  are  over,  if  this  stalk 
is  sprinkled  with  water  and  made  moist  it  be- 
comes fair  again  and  green,  so  that  in  winter 
wreaths  and  garlands  can  be  twined  of  it. 

For  this  reason  it  is  called  amaranth,  because 
it  neither  fades  nor  withers. 

I  know  not  that  anything  can  be  more  like  the 
Church  than  this  amaranth,  which  we  call  a 
thousandfold  fair  (Tausendschon).  For  although 
the  church  washes  her  robes  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  (as  it  is  written  in  Genesis  and  in  the 
Apocalypse),  and  is  stained  crimson,  yet  she  is 
fairer  than  any  state  or  community  on  earth. 
And  she  alone  it  is  whom  the  Son  of  God  loves 
as  His  Bride,  in  whom  He  has  joy  and  rest. 

Moreover,  the  Church  suffers  herself  easily  to 
be  broken  and  crushed  ;  that  is,  she  is  willing 
and  contented  to  be  obedient  to  God  under  the 
Cross,  is  patient  therein,  and  springs  up  again 
fair  and  flourishing,  and  grows  and  spreads,  yea, 
gains  her  best  fruits  and  uses  thence,  for  thereby 
she  learns  truly  to  apprehend  God,  freely  to  con- 
fess His  do61rine,  and  brings  forth  far  more 
beautiful  and  heavenly  virtues. 

Finally,  the  body  and  stock  of  this  true  Ama- 
ranth remain  entire,  and  cannot  be  uprooted, 
however  great  may  be  the  rage  and  assaults 
against  particular  branches,  so  as  to  rend  them 
away.  For  as  the  amaranth,  thousandfold  fair, 
cannot  fade    nor  decay,  so   nevermore  can  the 


I04  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

Church  fade  nor  decay,  be  destroyed  or  rooted  up. 
But  what  is  more  wonderful  than  the  amaranth  ? 
If  it  is  sprinkled  with  water  and  laid  therein,  it 
becomes  green  and  fresh  again,  as  if  awakened 
from  the  dead. 

So,  we  can  have  no  doubt  that  the  Church 
will  be  awakened  by  God  from  the  grave,  and  will 
come  forth  living,  eternally  to  praise,  glorify,  and 
bless  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
His  son  our  Redeemer  and  Lord,  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.    • 

For  although  other  empires,  kingdoms,  princi- 
palities, and  dominions  have  their  changes,  and 
soon  fade  and  fall  away  like  flowers,  this  King- 
dom, on  the  contrary,  has  roots  so  firm  and  deep, 
that  by  no  force  nor  might  can  it  be  torn  up  or 
laid  waste,  but  abides  for  ever. 


None  Suffer  Alone, 

WE  are  not  alone.     Many  here  and  there  in 
the    world    suffer   with    us,  whom    we 
know  not. 


THE  saints  are  but  as  dewdrops  on  the  locks 
of  the  Bridegroom. 

HIS  Christendom  is  Lady  and  Empress  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  ;  for  she  is  called  the 
Bride  of  God. 


THE    ARMIES  OF  HE  A  VE^T.  10$ 

IT  would  not  be  fit  that  we  should  know  how 
earnestly  the  dear,  holy  angels  contend  for 
us  with  the  devil  ;  what  a  hard  and  severe  strife 
and  warfare  it  is.  For  if  we  saw  it,  we  should 
be  dismayed. 

''"  I  ^HEY  are  ministering  spirits,"  and  herein  is 
JL  set  before  all  good  Christians  a  great  and 
heart-cheering  truth,  and  a  mirror  of  humility, 
that  such  pure  and  glorious  creatures  minister 
to  us  impure,  poor,  insignificant  human  beings, 
in  the  home,  in  the  state,  in  religion. 

Our  faithful  servants  are  they,  rendering  us 
service  which  we  poor  beggars  and  human  crea- 
tures are  ashamed  to  render  another. 

Thus  should  it  be  taught  simply,  and  in  choice 
order,  concerning  the  dear  angels. 

THE  good  angels  are  wiser  and  can  do  more 
than  the  evil  angels.  The  reason  is,  they 
have  a  mirror  wherein  they  look  and  learn  :  "  the 
face  of  the  Father." 

THEY  are  far  nobler  than  we  men  ;  firstly, 
in  nature  and  essence ;  also  because  they 
are  without  sin.  But  they  are  without  pride  ; 
they  despise  not  us  human  creatures  for  our 
misery.  Our  dying,  sinning,  and  suffering  are 
to  them  a  sorrow  of  heart. 

5* 


I06  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

THE  nature  of  the  good  angels  is  a  humble, 
loving,  and  kindly  nature.  An  angel's  is 
a  fine,  tender,  kind  heart.  As  if  we  could  find 
a  man  who  had  a  heart  sweet  all  through,  and  a 
gentle  will  ;  without  subtlety,  yet  of  sound  rea- 
son ;  at  once  wise  and  simple.  He  who  has 
seen  such  a  heart,  has  colors  wherewith  he  may 
pidture  to  himself  what  an  angel  is. 

THEY  guard  us  from  evil.  This  they  do 
earnestly  and  with  joy.  The  angels  see 
nothing  more  gladly  than  when  people  delight 
in  the  Word  of  God.  There  they  delight  to 
dwell.  Therefore  seek  them  not  yonder  in 
heaven,  but  here  below  on  earth,  with  thy  neigh- 
bor, thy  father  and  mother,  thy  child  and  thy 
friend.  If  thou  dost  to  these  as  God  commands 
thee,  the  angels  will  not  be  far  from  thee. 


H 


E  was  once  asked  what  an  angel  was.  He 
said,  "An  angel  is  a  spiritual  creature, 
created  without  a  body,  by  God,  to  minister  to 
Christendom,  especially  in  the  offices  of  the 
Church.  True  and  godly  preachers  should 
preach  and  teach  concerning  them  in  an  orderly. 
Christian  way." 

THEIR  antitypes  are  the  evil  spirits,  which 
were  not  created  evil  by  God,  but  fell, 
from  a  hatred  which  they  conceived  against 
God. 


THE  ARMIES  OF  HEAVEN.  10/ 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  once  said  of  the  angels : 
"  This  is  what  I  pi6lure  to  myself,  and  I 
stand  on  it  as  on  sure  ground,  that  the  angels 
are  already  getting  ready  for  the  field,  drawing 
on  their  armor,  girding  on  their  sword  and  spear  ; 
for  the  Last  Day  is  already  beginning  to  dawn, 
and  the  angels  are  arming  themselves  for  the 
combat. 

IF  we  praise  God  that  He  has  created  for 
us  the  sun,  the  moon,  wine,  and  bread, 
we  should  surely  also  praise  Him  that  He  has 
created  the  dear  angels.  My  God,  I  thank  Thee 
that  Thou  hast  given  Thy  good  angels,  and  hast 
set  a  guard  of  Thy  heavenly  princes  round 
about  us  ! 

THE  nature  and  chara6ler  of  the  good  angels 
is  a  humble,  loving,  friendly  nature,  which 
does  not  deem  itself  too  high  to  serve  poor  sinful 
creatures,  both  men  and  women.  For  they  are 
full  of  light,  of  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of 
the  wisdom  of  the  divine  goodness.  There- 
fore, all  that  God  commands  they  understand 
to  be  perfect,  and  very  good,  because  it  pleases 
God. 

LET  us  follow  the  virtues  of  the  holy  angels, 
and  their  works  of  love,  and  be  very 
friendly,  loving,  and  helpful  to  each  other.  No 
man  is  so  kind,  and  so  ready,  and  disposed  to  all 


I08  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

kinds  of  services  and  good  works  as  the  angels 
are. 

WE  must  learn  that  our  best  and  most 
steadfast  friends  are  invisible,  namely, 
the  dear  angels,  who  with  faithfulness  and  love, 
moreover  with  all  helpfulness  and  true  friendship, 
far  surpass  all  the  friends  we  have  whom  we  can 
see.  Thus  in  many  ways  we  enjoy  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  heavenly  spirits. 

ANGELS  are  creatures  who  shine  and  burn 
with  thoughts  and  desires  how  God  can 
be  praised,  peace  be  on  earth,  and  all  men  be  of 
a  good  heart  and  mind. 

His  Belief  about  the  Guardian  Angel. 

FROM  early  childhood  I  would  accustom  a 
child,  and  say  to  it :  "  Dear  child,  thou 
hast  an  angel  of  thine  own.  When  thou  pray- 
est,  morning  and  evening,  the  same  angel  will 
be  with  thee,  and  sit  beside  thy  little  bed,  cloth- 
ed in  a  white  robe ;  will  take  care  of  thee,  lull 
thee  to  sleep,  and  guard  over  thee  that  the  evil 
one,  the  devil,  may  not  come  near  thee.  So, 
also,  when  thou  gladly  say  est  the  'Benedicite  and 
'  Gratiasl  at  thy  meals,  thine  angel  will  be  with 
thee,  at  table,  will  serve  thee,  and  guard  thee."  If 
we  pidlured  this  to  children  from  their  earliest 
years,  that  angels  are  with  them,  this  would  not 


THE  ARMIES  OF  HEAVEN.  IO9 

only  make  the  dear  children  trust  to  the  guard- 
ianship of  the  dear  angels,  but  it  would  make 
them  gentle  and  good,  for  they  would  think, 
**  If  our  parents  are  not  here,  the  angels  are 
here,  and  the  evil  one  must  not  tempt  us  to 
do  wrong." 

AT  the  last,  when  we  die,  we  have  the  dear 
angels  for  our  escort  on  the  way.  They 
who  can  grasp  the  whole  world  in  their  hands, 
can  surely  also  guard  our  souls,  that  they  make 
that  last  journey  safely. 


V. 

THE  ENEMY. 


T 


HE  serpent  denies  the  good-will  of 
God  to  us,  and  endeavors  to  per- 
suade that  God  does  not  mean  us 
well. 


HE  devil  tempted  Eve  to  all  sin  when  he 
tempted  her  to  resist  the  will  of  God. 


T/ie  Devil  the  only  Enemy  to  be  hated. 

*'  T3  LESS  THOSE  THAT  CURSE  YOU."  How  can 
■^  ye  do  this  t  In  no  way  better  than  by 
turning  your  eyes  from  the  men  who  do  you 
wrong,  and  fixing  them  on  the  wicked  being  who 
possesses  them  and  urges  them  ;  on  seeing  how 
you  can  avenge  yourselves,  and  cool  your  cour- 
age on  him.  He  has  not  flesh  and  bones.  He 
is  a  spirit.  Therefore,  as  saith  St.  Paul,  it  is  not 
against  flesh  and  blood  that  ye  have  to  fight,  but 


THE  ENEMY.  1 1  I 

against  that  spiritual   villain    above   in  the  air, 
against  the  ruler  of  this  dark,  blind  world. 

WHEN  it  was  once  said  to  him,  "I  would 
fain  know  what  the  devil  is  like  in  char- 
a6ler,"  Dr.  Martin  said,  "  If  you  see  the  true 
likeness  of  the  devil,  and  know  what  his  char- 
a6ler  is,  give  good  heed  to  all  the  command- 
ments of  God,  one  after  another,  and  represent 
to  yourself  a  suspicious,  shameful,  lying,  despair- 
ing, abandoned,  godless,  calumnious  man,  whose 
mind  and  thoughts  are  all  set  on  opposing  God 
in  every  possible  way,  and  working  woe  and  harm 
to  others.  Thus  you  may  see  the  chara6ler  of 
the  devil." 

FIRSTLY,  in  him  is  no  fear,  love,  faith, 
and  trust  in  God,  that  He  is  just,  faithful, 
and  true ;  but  utter  hatred,  unbelief,  despair,  and 
blasphemy. 

This  is  the  devil's  head  set  against  the  first 
commandment  of  the  First  Table. 

Secondly,  a  faithful  Christian  uses  the  name 
of  God  to  good  uses,  spreads  His  Word,  calls  on 
Him  from  the  heart  in  need,  praises  Him,  confess- 
es Him. 

But  this  wicked  man  does  exa6lly  the  contra- 
ry ;  treats  God's  Word  as  a  fable,  blasphemes 
Him,  curses  men.  There  is  the  devil's  mouth 
and  speech. 

Thirdly,  a  Christian   holds  the   office   of  the 


1 1 2  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

preacher  dear,  hears  and  learns  God's  Word  with 
earnestness  and  diligence,  receives  the  Holy  Sac- 
rament according  to  Christ's  order.  The  other 
does  the  contrary,  despises  the  preacher's  office, 
hears  God's  Word  not  at  all  or  carelessly.  This 
is  the  devil's  way  of  hearing. 

Then  for  the  Second  Table. 

A  true  Christian  honors  and  obeys,  for  God's 
sake,  parents,  magistrates,  those  who  have  the 
care  of  souls,  masters  and  teachers.  The  other 
obeys  not  parents,  serves  and  helps  them  not, 
nay,  dishonors,  despises,  and  troubles  them,  for- 
sakes them  in  their  need,  is  ashamed  of  them 
when  they  are  poor,  despises  them  when  they 
are  old,  infirm,  and  childish  ;  obeys  not  authori- 
ties. 

Again,  a  man  of  true  heart  envies  not  his 
neighbor,  bears  no  ill-will  against  him,  desires 
not  revenge,  has  compassion  when  he  is  hurt, 
helps  and  prote6ls  him  as  much  as  he  can.  The 
other  hates,  envies,  rejoices  in  his  neighbor's 
troubles.  There  is  the  devil's  grim,  angry,  and 
murderous  heart. 

A  God-fearing  man  lives  temperately  and 
chastely  ;  the  other  the  contrary,  in  thought, 
word,  and  a6l. 

A  good  man  maintains  himself  by  labor, 
trade,  etc.,  lends,  helps,  and  gives  to  the  needy. 
The  other  takes  every  advantage.  These  are 
the  devil's  sharp  claws. 

Again,  a  good  man  speaks  evil  of  no  man — 


THE  ENEMY.  II3 

yea,  even  if  he  knows  that  his  neighbor  is  guilty, 
he  covers  his  sin  with  love.  The  other  back- 
bites, cletra6ls,  misinterprets,  betrays.  There  is 
the  devil's  wicked  will. 

As  our  Lord  God  is  tJiesis  decalogi,  so  is  the 
devil  antithesis  decalogi. 

THE  devil  can  indeed  frighten,  overwhelm, 
and  kill ;  God  alone  can  comfort  and  make 
alive.  And  that  is  His  own  prerogative  and 
work.  Therefore  we  do  not  know  God  at  all 
unless  we  know  Him  as  a  Comforter  of  the 
wretched,  troubled,  and  distressed,  a  Helper  in 
need,  who  makes  living  and  joyful.  The  true 
knowledge  of  God  is  to  know  that  God  is  not  a 
devil,  i.  e.,  an  accuser,  an  enemy,  but  only,  en- 
tirely, and  simply  God,  that  is,  only  a  Saviour. 

WE  have  more  cause  to  rejoice  than  to 
mourn  ;  for  our  hope  is  in  God,  who  says, 
"  /  live,  and  ye  shall  live  also!'  But  melancholy 
is  born  with  us  ;  so  the  spirit  of  melancholy,  the 
devil  comes  and  stimulates  it ;  but  the  Lord  our 
God  lifts  us  up. 

WHEN  one  is  on  the  battle-field  with  the 
devil,  and  is  fighting  against  him,  it  is 
not  enough  to  say,  "  That  is  God's  Word."  For 
this  is  one  of  the  devil's  master-strokes,  to 
snatch  the  weapon  from  our  hands,  especially 
when  he  takes  us  by  surprise.      This   he   has 


114  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

often  tried  on  me.  He  knows  that  my  heart  is 
always  praying  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  yet  he 
vexes  me  with  the  temptation  that  I  have  ceased 
to  pray. 

Let  no  one  encounter  him  unless  he  prays 
the  Lord's  Prayer  first.  The  devil  is  skilful,  and 
we  do  not  know  the  seven-hundredth  part  of 
what  he  knows.  He  has  assailed  Adam,  Abra- 
ham, David,  and  others,  and  tormented  them  in 
manifold  ways,  and  he  knows  where  to  attack  us, 
where  we  are  weak  and  he  may  give  us  a  wound. 

The  Apostle  Judas  who  betrayed  Christ  was 
throughout  his  life  little  assailed  by  the  devil  ; 
but  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  went  securely 
forth  on  the  devil's  errand,  and  knew  not 
whither. 

IS  highest  art  is  to  make  a  law  out  of  the 
Gospel ;  to  represent  the  Lord  Christ  as  a 
Judge  and  Accuser,  and  not  as  a  Saviour,  Medi- 
ator, High  Priest,  and  Throne  of  Grace. 

THE  devil  has  a  great  advantage  against  us, 
inasmuch   as  he  has  a  strong  bastion  and 
bulwark  against  us  in  our  own  flesh  and  blood. 

THIS  envious,  poisonous,  cunning  spirit  seeks 
to  misinterpret  and  slander  the  good  and 
godly  works  which  a  true  Christian  does  through 
the  grace  of  God,  working  and  help  of  the  Holy 


THE  ENEMY.  1 1 5 

Spirit.     Therefore  he  is  called  diabolus,  that  is, 
accuser  and  slanderer. 


AT  night,  when  I  wake,  the  devil  is  there,  and 
wants  to  dispute  with  me.  The  evil  one 
would  dispute  with  me  de  justitid ;  and  he  is 
himself  a  villain,  and  would  cast  God  out  of  heav- 
en, and  has  crucified  His  Son. 

THE  devil  has  not  indeed  a  do6lor's  degree, 
but  he  is  highly  educated  and  deeply  ex- 
perienced, and  has  moreover  been  practising, 
trying,  and  exercising  his  art  and  craft  now  well- 
nigh  six  thousand  years.  No  one  avails  against 
him  but  Christ  alone. 

NO  one  can  understand  how  to  contend  with 
him,  unless  he  first  pray  with  great  ear- 
nestness. He  is  skilled  in  a  thousand  arts,  and 
is  far  too  strong  and  mighty  for  us,  for  he  is  the 
prince  and  god  of  this  world. 

THE  devil  seeks  high  things,  looks  to  that 
which  is  great  and  high  ;  scorns  what  is 
lowly.  But  the  eternal  merciful  God  reverses 
this,  and  looks  on  what  is  lowly.  "  I  look  on  him 
who  is  poor  and  of  a  broken  heart."  But  what  is 
lifted  up  He  lets  go,  for  it  is  an  abomination  to 
Him. 


"  I  1 6  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

THE  devil,  that  lost  spirit,  cannot  endure  sa- 
cred songs  of  joy.  Our  passions  and  temp- 
tations, our  complainings  and  our  cryings,  our 
Alas  !  and  our  Woe  is  me  !  please  him  well,  but  our 
songs  and  psalms  vex  him  and  grieve  him  sorely.. 

THE  devil  is  a  proud  spirit.  He  cannot  en- 
dure contempt.  There  is  no  better  way 
to  be  quit  of  his  temptations  than  by  despising 
them  (as  Geroon  says),  just  as  when  a  traveller 
is  attacked  by  a  dog  who  would  bite  him  ;  if  the 
traveller  goes  quietly  by,  lets  the  dog  howl  and 
bark,  and  takes  no  heed  of  him,  the  dog  does  not 
bite  him,  and  soon  ceases  to  bark. 

SATAN  will  not  desist ;  he  will  contest  every 
article  of  the  faith  in  our  hearts  ere  we  de- 
part this  life,  so  bitterly  opposed  is  he  to  the  faith, 
which  he  well  knows  is  the  power  and  vi6lory 
wherewith  we  overcome  the  world. 

E  have  the  great  devils  who  are  doc- 
tors of  theology  (enemies  of  the  First 
Table  of  the  Decalogue).  The  Turks  and  Papists 
have  little,  insignificant  devils  to  contend  with, 
which  are  not  theological  but  only  juristical 
devils. 

THE  devil  gives  heaven  before  sin,  and  after 
we  have  sinned  drives  us  to  dismay  of  con- 
science, and  to  despair. 


THE  ENEMY.  1 1  / 

Christ  does  the  contrary.  He  gives  heaven 
after  we  have  sinned,  and  peace  to  the  troubled 
conscience. 

ONE  single  devil  is  stronger  and  more  cun- 
ning than  all  men,  for  they  know  us  with- 
in and  without,  and  compared  with  him  we  are 
only  to  be  reckoned  alphabet-scholars,  poor  and 
weak  sinners,  as  we  learn  from  experience. 

FOR  think  only,  if  the  devil  in  the  beginning 
of  the  world  was  a  bad  creature,  how  cun- 
ning and  skilful  he  must  have  become  through 
such  long  praClice,  during  which  he  has  been 
assailing,  and  with  all  his  power,  without  ever 
ceasing,  has  been  tormenting  Adam,  Methuselah, 
Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  David,  Solomon,  the 
prophets,  the  Apostles,  yea,  the  Lord  Christ 
Himself,  and  all  believers. 

THE  devil  has  vowed    our   death.     I    hope, 
however,  when  he  kills  me,  he  will  bite  a 
deaf  nut  (/.  e.,  the  kernel  will  be  gone). 

I  SHOULD  be  so  joyful  that  joy  would  bring 
me  perfect  health,  and  I  could  not  be  sick 
for  mere  joy.  But  the  devil  prowls  incessantly 
about,  makes  me  sad  and  careful,  and  when  he 
cannot  do  it  dire6ily,  does  it  through  means  ;  as 
for  instance,  through  vexatious  men. 


1 1  8  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

THIS  white  devil,  which  urges  men  to  com- 
mit spiritual  sins,  to  sell  them  for  right- 
eousness, is  far  more  dangerous  than  the  black 
devil,  which  only  tempts  them  to  commit  fleshly 
sins,  which  the  world  acknowledges  to  be  sins. 

SATAN'S  power  is  greater  than  that  of 
twelve  Turkish  Emperors  ;  his  knowledge 
greater  than  that  of  all  men  ;  his  wickedness  than 
that  of  the  worst  men  ;  a  powerful,  able,  sub- 
tle spirit. 

THE  kingdom  of  this  world,  or  the  devil's 
kingdom,  is  the  kingdom  of  iniquity,  igno- 
rance, error,  sin,  death,  blasphemy,  desperation, 
and  everlasting  damnation.  On  the  other  side, 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  the  kingdom  of  equity, 
grace,  light,  remission  of  sins,  peace,  consolation, 
saving  health,  and  everlasting  life. 

IT  is  strange  that  it  should  be  commanded 
us,  such  weak  flesh  and  blood  as  we  are,  to 
strive  and  fight  with  such  a  powerful  spirit  as  the 
devil  is,  and  that  no  other  weapons  should  be 
placed  in  our  hands,  save  only  God's  Word. 
This  must  irritate  and  vex  such  a  great  and 
mighty  foe.  But  in  such  combats  the  hard  thing 
is  to  recognize  the  devil  as  the  devil. 

God  has  ordered  it  thus,  that  when  this  mighty 
spirit  is  overcome  simply  by  the  faith  of  a  good 
man,  he  may  be  all  the  more  vexed  and  put  to 


THE  ENEMY.  1 19 

shame.  That  the  "  strong  man  armed  "  should 
be  vanquished  by  one  so  weak,  vexes  him  to  the 
heart. 

Warfare  against  all  kinds  of  Evil —  War- 
fare against  the  Devil 

I  HOLD,"  he  said,  "that  Satan  sends  epi- 
demics and  sicknesses  amongst  men,  for  he 
is  a  prince  of  death.  Therefore  St.  Peter  saith, 
'  Christ  healed  all  who  were  held  captive  by  the 
devil.' "  To  this  end  the  devil  uses  natural 
means,  poisonous  air,  &c.,  as  a  murderer  uses  a 
sword.  So  also  God  uses  natural  means  to  pre- 
serve man's  health  and  life,  as  sleep  and  food. 

A  physician  mends  and  repairs  for  our  Lord 
God  ;  he  helps  bodily,  as  we  theologians  spirit- 
ually, to  make  good  what  the  devil  has  spoiled. 

Once  a  burgomaster  asked  me  if  it  was  con- 
trary to  God  to  use  medicine.  (Doctor  Carlstadt 
having  publicly  preached  that  in  sickness  we 
should  use  no  medicine,  but  pray  that  God's  will 
be  done.)  I  asked  him  if  he  ate  when  he  was 
hungry.  "  Yes,"  said  he.  Then  I  said  to  him, 
"  Surely  then  you  may  use  medicine,  which  is  as 
much  God's  creature  as  food  and  drink,  and  all 
which  we  use  to  preserve  this  life." 

Luther  s  own  Experience  in  such  Co7iflicts. 

"  T     AST  night,"  he  said,  "  when  I  awoke,  the 
J — y  devil  came  and  wanted   to  dispute   with 


120  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

me,  and  cast  it  up  at  me  that  I  was  a  sinner. 
Then  I  said  :  Say  something  new,  devil  That 
I  know  well  already.  I  have  committed  real, 
a6lual  sins.  But  God  has  forgiven  me  for  His 
dear  Son's  sake." 

THE  devil  often  casts  up  against  me  that 
great  offences  have  sprung  from  my  doc- 
trine. Sometimes  he  makes  me  heavy  and  sad 
with  such  thoughts.  And  when  I  answer  that 
much  good  has  also  sprung  thence,  by  a  master- 
stroke, he  can  turn  that  against  me.  He  is  a 
swift,  acute,  cunning  rhetorician. 

How  Lttther  met  what  he  believed  to  be  an 
Assault  of  the  Devil. 

ONCE,  in  the  year  I52i,when  I  had  jour- 
neyed from  Worms,  and  was  imprisoned 
near  Eisenach,  in  the  castle  of  the  Wartburg  (in 
Patmos),  I  was  far  from  any  one,  in  a  chamber  to 
which  no  one  was  allowed  to  come  save  two 
young  boys  of  the  nobility,  who  twice  a  day 
brought  me  food  and  drink.  Once  they  had 
brought  me  a  bag  of  hazel-nuts,  of  which  from 
time  to  time  I  ate,  and  had  locked  it  up  in  a 
chest.  At  night  when  I  went  to  bed,  I  put  out 
the  light.  Then  the  hazel-nuts  began  to  rattle 
against  each  other.  But  I  did  not  heed.  How- 
ever, when  I  had  been  a  little  while  asleep,  such 
a  clatter  was  made  on  the  stairs,  as  if  a  score  of 


THE  ENEMY.  121 

platters  had  been  thrown  down  from  step  to 
step,  although  I  knew  the  staircase  was  guarded 
with  chains  and  bolts,  so  that  no  one  could  come 
up.  I  rose  and  went  to  the  head  of  the  staircase 
and  saw  that  all  was  closed.  Then  I  said,  "  Oh, 
if  it  is  only  you,  it  does  not  matter."  And  I 
committed  myself  to  the  Lord  Christ,  of  whom 
it  is  written,  "  Thou  hast  put  all  things  under 
His  feet,"  and  lay  quietly  down  in  the  bed  again. 

THANK  God,  the  devil  has  never  been  able 
altogether  to  vanquish  me.     He  has  burnt 
himself  out  on  the  Lord  Christ. 


s 


Sin. 

IN  is  essentially  a  departure  from  God. 


T 


HE  first  freedom  is  freedom  from  sin. 


To  Melanc/Uhon,  from  Cobourg,  during  the 
Diet  of  A  tegs  burg. 

WHAT  can  the  devil  do  worse  than  to  kill  us  } 
I  conjure  thee,  who  art  in  all  other  things 
a  good  soldier,  fight  also  against  thyself,  thy 
greatest  enemy,  who  turnest  Satan's  arms  against 

thvself. 

6 


122  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 


W^tI 


have  against  us  one-half  of  ourselves. 
The  flesh  striveth  against  the  spirit. 


THE  recognition  of  sin  is  the  beginning  of 
salvation. 

HELL  is  primarily  forgetfulness,  or  hatred 
of  God,  for  there  reign  a  disordered,  des- 
olate, chaotic  carefulness  and  self-love,  unable  to 
see  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  ;  ever  seek- 
ing escape  and  refuge  from  God. 

ORIGINAL  sin  is  the  perversion  of  original 
righteousness. 

WHERE  sin  is  not  acknowledged,  there  is 
no  help  nor  remedy  ;  for  he  who  thinks 
himself  whole  when  he  is  sick  seeks  no  physician. 


s 


IN  is  not  forgiven  that  it  may  be  no  more  felt, 
but  that  it  may  not  be  imputed. 


UNKNOWN,  hidden     sins     are    the    most 
dangerous.     Therefore  the   prophet    says, 
"  Cleanse  me  from  my  secret  faults." 

THE  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  must  be  such 
a  hidden,  unacknowledged  sin,  not  a  coarse, 
worldly  sin  ;  but  a  deep  spiritual  sin.  It  must 
be  a  hardening  in  evil,  or  a  contending  against 


THE  ENEMY.  I  23 

what  is  known  to  be  truth,  persevered  in,  without 
repentance  until  the  end. 

Especial  Sins. 

IT  is  a  godless  opinion  and  a  vain  dream  to  say 
that  all  sins  are  alike.     St.  Paul's  sins  were 
very  different  from  Nero's. 

Injustice. 

TO    THE    ELECTOR    FREDERICK,  PLEADING    FOR    A  POOR 
MAN  HE  DEEMED  UNJUSTLY  USED. 

I  KNOW  well  that  no  prince  is  so  good  but 
that   he   may   deal    too    hastily  with    some, 
through  his  officials. 

David  was  the  kernel  of  all  princes  ever  on  the 
earth  ;  yet  he  did  wrong  to  poor  Mephibosheth, 
at  the  demand  of  Ziba  ;  thinking,  however,  that 
he  had  done  him  no  wrong. 

A  prince  may  be  sure  his  rule  will  be  marred 
by  injustice ;  well  for  him  who  does  the  least. 
Therefore  are  mercy  and  beneficence  the  more 
necessary. 

Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you.  Where 
Date  is  rich,  there  Dabitur  will  be  the  richer. 

Your  Ele6loral  Highness  may  be  sure  that  I 
will  not  abandon  this  poor  man  thus.  I  will 
rather,  myself,  go  begging  for  him.  And  if  that 
did  not  answer,  I  would  rob  and  steal  whatever 
lay  next  me,  especially  from  the  Ele6lor  of  Sax- 
ony. For  your  Eledloral  Grace  is  bound  to  main- 
tain him. 


124  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

To  the  Count  Albert  of  Mans f eld 

(Luther's  native   Prince),  warning  him  against  oppressing  his 

subjects. 

PEACE  and  grace  in  the  Lord,  and  my  poor 
Pater  Noster. 

Your  Grace  will  graciously  listen  to  my  poor 
sighs,  if,  on  account  of  the  speaking  and  crying 
which  I  hear  daily  concerning  my  poor  country- 
men, I  cannot  begin  my  letter  to  your  Grace 
cheerfully  ;  for  it  is  no  fault  of  mine,  and  the 
child's  heart  in  me  is  wounded.  Your  Grace 
must  surely  feel  how  cold  you  have  become,  and 
given  over  to  Mammon,  thinking  only  how  to 
grow  very  rich  ;  also  (as  the  complaints  go),  bear- 
ing altogether  too  hard  and  sharply  on  your  sub- 
je6ls,  taking  them  from  their  fathers'  inheritance, 
and  their  goods,  and  intending  to  make  them 
mere  bondmen. 

Which  God  will  not  suffer,  or  if  He  suffer  it, 
He  will  also  suffer  the  whole  country  to  be  im- 
poverished to  utter  ruin  ;  for  all  things  are  His 
gifts,  which  He  can  easily  withdraw  again  ;  and 
He  is  not  bound  to  give  account,  as  Haggai 
saith,  "  Ye  have  sown  much,  and  bring  in  Uttle  ; 
ye  clothe  you,  but  there  is  none  warm  ;  and  he 
that  earneth  wages,  earneth  wages  to  put  it  into 
a  bag  with  holes." 

These  things  I  write  unto  your  Grace,  as  I 
think  for  the  last  time ;  for  the  grave  is  nearer 
me  now,  perhaps,  than  people  think,  and   I  en- 


THE  ENEMY.  1 2$ 

treat  that  your  Grace  will  deal  more  softly  and 
graciously  with  your  subjedls,  and  let  them 
abide  ;  so  shall  your  Grace  also  abide,  through 
God's  blessing,  here  and  yonder.  Otherwise 
you  will  lose  both  together,  and  be  like  him  of 
whom  ^sop's  fable  speaks,  who  killed  the  goose 
which  every  day  laid  him  a  golden  Q,g^^,  and 
thereby  lost  at  once  the  golden  o,^^,  with  the 
goose,  and  all  the  ^%g  stock  ; — be  like  the  dog 
in  ^sop,  who  lost  the  piece  of  flesh  in  the  water 
while  he  was  snapping  at  the  shadow.  For 
certainly  it  is  true,  that  he  who  will  have  too  much 
gains  less ;  whereof  Solomon  in  the  Proverbs 
writes  much. 

In  brief,  I  have  to  do  with  your  Grace's  soul, 
which  I  cannot  bear  to  have  cast  out  of  my  care 
and  prayer  ;  for  this  is  to  me  sure  :  to  be  cast  out 
of  the  Church  is  to  be  cast  out  of  heaven.  And 
hereto  constrains  me  not  only  the  command  of 
Christian  love,  but  also  the  heavy  threat  where- 
with God  has  laden  us  preachers  (Ezekiel  3d)  : 
"  If  thou  warn  not  the  sinner  of  his  sin,  and  he 
die,  I  will  require  his  soul  at  thine  hands  ;  for 
therefore  have  I  set  thee  to  be  a  watchman  of 
souls." 

Therefore,  may  your  Grace  take  this  needful 
warning  in  good  part  ;  for  I  cannot  on  your 
Grace's  account  suffer  myself  to  be  damned ; 
but  seek  much  rather  to  save  you  with  myself, 
if  it  is  by  any  means  possible.  But  before  God, 
I  am   hereby  free  from   guilt    concerning    this. 


126  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

Herewith    I  commend  you  to   Him  in  all  His 
grace  and  mercy.     Amen. 


A 


Falsehood, 

LIE  is  like  a  snow-ball.     The  longer  it  is 
rolled,  the  larger  it  is. 


Covetousness, 

MAMMON  has  two  virtues  ;  the  first,  that 
he  makes  us  secure  when  things  go  well, 
so  that  we  live  without  the  fear  of  God. 

The  second,  that  in  adversity,  when  things  go 
ill,  he  teaches  us  to  tempt  and  fly  from  God,  and 
to  seek  a  false  god. 

IT  was  with  good  reason  that  God  commanded 
through  Moses  that  the  vineyard  and  har- 
vest were  not  to  be  gleaned  to  the  last  grape  or 
grain  ;  but  something  to  be  left  for  the  poor. 
F'or  covetousness  is  never  to  be  satisfied  ;  the 
more  it  has,  the  more  it  wants.  Such  insatiable 
ones  injure  themselves,  and  transform  God's 
blessings  into  evil. 

RICHES  are  the  pettiest  and  least  worthy 
gifts  which  God  can  give  a  man.  What 
are  they  to  God's  Word  }  Yea,  to  bodily  gifts, 
such  as  beauty  and  health  ;  or  to  the  gifts  of  the 
mind,  such  as  understanding,  skill,  wisdom  ? 
Yet  men  toil  for  them  day  and  night,  and  take 


THE  ENEMY.  \2J 

no  rest.  Therefore  our  Lord  God  commonly 
gives  riches  to  foolish  people  to  whom  He  gives 
nothing  else. 

JEROBOAM'S  calves  remain  in  the  world 
forever  until  the  Last  Day ;  for  whatever 
a  man  places  his  confidence  and  trust  in,  set- 
ting God  aside,  that  is  to  him  like  Jeroboam's 
calves,  which  he  worships  and  invokes  in- 
stead of  the  only  true,  living,  eternal  God,  who 
alone  can  and  will  give  counsel  and  help  in  all 
need. 

All  are  worshipping  these  calves  who  trust  to 
their  own  skill,  wisdom,  strength,  holiness, 
riches,  honor,  power,  or  to  any  league,  defence, 
or  fortress,  or  in  brief  to  anything,  be  it  called 
what  it  may,  on  which  the  world  builds  and 
trusts.  For  such  trust  in  transitory  creatures  is 
the  real  idolatry. 

LLIES  drowned  and  overwhelmed  in  the 
•  sea  of  covetousness,  deeper  than  the 
mountains  under  the  flood ;  these  lay  only  fif- 
teen ells  deep  in  the  water,  but  she  lies  fifteen 
miles  deep  under  the  waves  of  avarice. 

THE  Jews  suffered  themselves  to  dream,  and 
thought  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  would 
be  a  worldly  kingdom  ;  as  also  the  Apostles  in 
John  14  :  "  Lord,  how  is  it  that  thou  wilt  mani- 
fest Thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  ivorld?" 


1 28  THE  BA  TTLE'FTELD. 

"  We  thought  the  whole  world  should  see  Thy 
glory ;  that  Thou  shouldst  be  Caesar,  and  we 
twelve  kings,  amongst  whom  the  kingdoms 
should  be  divided  ;  that  each  of  us  should  have 
had  six  disciples  for  princes,  counts,  and  nobles  ; 
these  would  be  the  seventy-two  disciples — for 
that  was  the  number."  Thus  had  the  dear 
Apostles  already  beautifully  parcelled  out  the 
land,  according  to  Platonic  dreams  and  human 
reason. 

But  Christ  describes  His  kingdom  far  other- 
wise:  ^^  He  zvho  lovetJi  Me,  and  keepetJi  my  Word, 
shall  be  loved  of  my  Father ;  a7id  we  will  come 
unto  him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him'' 

IT  is  a  terrible  evil,  that  we  see  daily  before 
our  eyes,  how  eager  a  thirsty  man  is  to  drink, 
and  a  hungry  man  to  eat,  although  a  drink  of 
water  and  a  piece  of  bread  can  only  keep  off 
thirst  or  hunger  an  hour  or  two  ;  whilst  on  the 
contrary  no  one,  or  scarcely  any  one,  is  eager 
for  this  most  precious  Physician,  although  He 
tenderly  allures  all  to  Him,  saying,  "  If  any  man 
tJiii'st,  let  him  come  nnto  Me  and  drinkl'  and 
gives  food  and  drink  which  are  imperishable,  and 
endure  to  eternal  life. 

WE  know,  thank  God,  that  Christ  has  over- 
come the  world,  with  her  prince  the  devil ; 
that  sin  may  no  more  have  dominion  over  us, 
nor  death  swallow  us  up.     At  which  we  should, 


THE  ENEMY.  1 29 

in  reason,  be  far  more  joyful  than  the  children 
of  the  world  over  temporal  prosperity,  riches, 
honor,  power.  For  these,  be  they  as  much  as 
they  may  be  compared  with  the  eternal  riches 
which  Christ  gives,  are  indeed  mere  trifling,  con- 
temptible fragments  and  crumbs. 

IF  we  have  Him,  the  dear  Lord,  we  are 
indeed  rich  and  happy  enough,  and  ask  not 
for  their  pomp,  glory,  and  wealth.  Too  often,  in- 
deed, we  lose  Him,  and  consider  not  that  He  is 
ours,  and  we  are  His  ;  especially  when,  in  time 
of  need.  He  seems  to  hide  His  face  for  a  moment. 
But  He  says,  "  /  am  with  you  alway  to  the  end 
of  the  zuorlcV     This  is  our  best  treasure. 

WHERE  the  Gospel  is,  there  is  poverty. 
In  olden  times  men  could  richly  endow 
whole  convents ;  now  they  will  give  nothing. 
Superstition,  false  do6lrine,  and  hypocrisy  give 
money  enough.     Truth  goes  begging. 

Carefulness. 

"  ^   I  ^  HEY  sow  NOT,  NEITHER  DO  THEY  REAP,  NOR 
X       GATHER  INTO  BARNS." 

Let  the  Lord  build  the  house,  and  be  the 
householder.  He  who  filleth  heaven  and  earth 
can  surely  fill  one  house. 

If  thou  dost  not  look  to  Him  who  should  fill 
the  house,   every  corner  of  it  must   indeed    be 

6* 


1 30  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

empty  to  thee.  But  if  thou  art  looking  to  Him, 
thou  perceivest  not  if  there  be  an  empty  corner. 
To  thee  all  seems  full,  and  indeed  all  is  full.  If 
not,  it  is  the  defect  of  thy  vision,  as  with  the 
blind,  who  see  not  the  sun. 

Not  that  labor  is  forbidden,  but  that  God  gives 
success.  For  if  thou  wert  to  plough  a  hundred 
years,  thou  couldst  not  bring  one  stalk  out  of  the 
earth.  But  God,  without  work  of  thine,  whilst 
thou  art  asleep,  creates  out  of  the  little  grain  a 
stalk,  and  on  the  stalk  many  ears,  as  many  as  He 
wills. 

The  animals  do  not  work  in  order  to  earn 
their  food  ;  yet  each  has  its  work.  The  bird  flies 
and  sings,  and  hatches  its  eggs  ;  that  is  its  work. 
Horses  carry  men  on  the  road,  and  to  the  bat- 
tle ;  sheep  give  us  wool,  milk,  and  cheese  ;  that 
is  their  work  ;  yet  that  feeds  them  not.  The 
earth  freely  brings  forth  grass  and  feeds  them, 
through  God's  blessing.  Thus  Christ  tells  us  to 
behold  the  fowls  of  the  air  ;  they  sow  not,  neither 
do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  barns,  and  yet  God 
feedeth  them.  That  is,  they  do  their  appointed 
work,  but  not  thereby  are  they  fed. 

So  also  must  man  work.  But  let  him  know, 
it  is  Another  that  feeds  him,  namely,  God  bless- 
ing his  work. 

This  is  the  signification  of  it  all.  God  com- 
manded Adam  to  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his 
brow,  and  wills  that  men  shall  work,  and  with- 
out work  will  give  them  nothing.     On  the  other 


THE  ENEMY.  I3I 

hand,  by  our  work,  in  itself,  He  gives  us  nothing, 
but  only  of  His  free  goodness  and  blessing  ;  that 
labor  may  be  our  discipline  in  this  life,  to  over- 
come the  flesh. 

You  say,  Who  places  the  silver  and  gold  in  the 
mountains,  that  men  may  find  them  ?  Who  places 
in  the  field  those  great  hidden  treasures  which 
spring  out  of  it  in  corn,  wine,  and  all  manner  of 
fruits,  whereby  all  creatures  live  ?  Does  man's 
labor  create  these  ?  Man's  labor  indeed  finds 
them  ;  but  God  has  laid  the  treasures  there,  and 
He  bestows  them. 

Thus  the  ruler  must  indeed  watch  over  the 
city,  close  the  gates,  guard  tower  and  wall,  put 
on  armor,  lay  up  stores,  as  if  there  were  no  God. 
And  the  householder  must  work  as  if  his  work 
in  itself  were  to  nourish  the  household.  But  he 
who  believes  in  God  is  not  careful  for  the  mor- 
row, but  labors  joyfully  and  with  a  great  heart. 

"  For  He  giveth  His  beloved,  as  in  sleep." 
They  must  work  and  watch,  yet  never  be  careful 
or  anxious,  but  commit  all  to  Him,  and  live  in 
serene  tranquillity  ;  with  a  quiet  heart,  as  one 
who  sleeps  safely  and  quietly. 

(The  last  letter  to  her  but  one.) 

To    the    holy,    care-laden     lady,    Katharin 
Lutherin,  my  gracious ,  dear  Wife. 

WE  thank  you  very  heartily  for  the  great  care 
for  us,  which  has  prevented  your  sleep- 


I  3  2  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

ing  ;  for  since  the  time  that  you  have  taken  this 
care  on  you,  the  fire  all  but  consumed  us  in  our 
inn,  breaking  out  outside  our  chamber  door,  and 
yesterday  (no  doubt  in  consequence  of  these 
cares  of  yours),  a  stone  all  but  fell  on  our  head 
and  crushed  us,  as  in  a  mouse-trap  ;  for  in  our 
room,  two  days  since,  the  lime  and  plaster 
crumbled  away.  *  *  For  this  also  we  should 
have  had  to  thank  your  saintly  cares,  if  the  dear 
holy  angels  had  not  hindered.  I  am  anxious 
lest,  if  thou  dost  not  give  up  thy  anxieties, 
the  earth  itself  may  swallow  us  up,  and  all  the 
elements  turn  against  us. 

Dost  thou  learn  the  Catechism,  and  the  Creed  .^ 
Do  thou  pray,  and  leave  God  to  care.  It  is  said, 
"  Cast  your  care  on  Him^for  He  careth  for  you!' 


Scmptatton,  anlJ  Depression  of  Spirit. 

For  one  heavy  in  Heart. 

FIRST  of  all,  let  her  not  look  at  herself,  nor 
judge  herself  by  her  own  feelings,  but 
grasp  the  Word,  and  hang  upon  it,  and  plant  her- 
self on  it,  in  defiance  of  all,  and  dire6l  all  her  feel- 
ings, and  all  the  thoughts  of  her  heart  towards  it- 
Let  her  also  lift  up  her  voice  in  praise.  A 
strong  medicine  lies  therein. 

For  the  evil  spirit  of  heaviness  is  not  to  be 
chased  away  by  sad  words  and  complainings,  but 


THE  ENEMY.  133 

by  the  praise  of  God,  whereby  the  heart  is  made 
Gflad. 


YOUR  distress  is,  that  God  Almighty  knows 
from  eternity  who  will  be  saved.  Which  is 
true  ;  for  he  knows  all  things,  the  drops  in  the 
sea,  the  stars  in  heaven,  the  roots,  branches, 
twigs,  and  leaves  of  every  tree.  He  has  num- 
bered the  hairs  of  our  heads.  From  this  you 
conclude  that  do  what  you  will,  good  or  bad, 
God  knows  already  whether  you  will  be  saved 
or  not.  And  further,  you  think  more  of  dam- 
nation than  of  salvation,  and  therfore  you  despair, 
and  know  not  how  God  is  minded  toward  you. 

Wherefore  I,  as  a  servant  of  my  dear  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  write  you  this,  that  you  may  know 
how  God  the  Almighty  is  minded  toward  you. 

God,  the  Almighty,  does  know  all  things  ;  so 
that  all  works  and  thouofhts  in  all  creatures 
must  happen  according  to  His  will.  But  His 
earnest  will,  and  mind,  and  decree,  ordered  from 
eternity,  is  "  tJiat  all  men  shall  be  saved','  and 
shall  become  partakers  of  eternal  joy.  "  God 
\cilletJi  not  tJie  death  of  a  sinner^  but  that  he 
sJionld  be  converted  and  live'' 

If,  therefore.  He  wills  that  sinners,  wherever 
they  live  and  wander  under  the  broad,  high 
heavens,  should  be  saved,  will  you,  by  a  foolish 
thought  suggested  by  the  devil,  sunder  yourself 
from  all  these,  and  from  the  grace  of  God } 

God  the  Father  Himself,  with  His  own  finger, 


134  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

points  out  to  you  how  He  is  minded  toward 
you,  when  with  loud  clear  voice  He  cries,  '*  This 
is  my  beloved  Son  t7i  WJiom  I  am  well  pleased. 
Hear  Him!' 

And  even  if  you  were  ever  so  hard  and  deaf, 
and  as  a  despairing  man  turned  to  stone,  could 
not  look  up  to  heaven,  nor  hear  God  the  Father 
calling  to  you  on  those  heights,  yet  can  you 
not  fail  to  hear  the  Son,  who  stands  in  the 
highway  by  which  every  one  must  pass,  and 
as  with  a  mighty  trumpet  calls,  "  Ve7iite!" 
"  Come,  come  !  " 

But  who  are  those  who  are  to  come  ?  "  Ye  that 
are  weary  and  heavy-laden!'  What  kind  of  a 
company  is  that  ?  "  Heavy-laden  ;  "  as  if  He 
knew  it  all  well,  and  would  take  our  burdens  and 
loads  on  His  shoulder,  and  not  only  help  us,  but 
altogether  rid  us  of  them. 

To  Hieroiiymus   Welter, 

IN  AN  ATTACK  OF  DEPRESSION. 

THEREFORE,  before  all  things,  thou  shalt 
firmly  hold,  that  those  and  evil  thoughts 
are  not  from  God,  but  from  the  devil  ;  because 
God  is  not  the  God  of  sadness,  but  the  God  of 
consolation  and  gladness,  as  Christ  Himself  says, 
"  He  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead  but  of  the  living!' 
But  what  is  to  live  save  to  be  glad  in  the  Lord  ? 

WHEREFORE  use  thyself  at  once  to  re- 
pel   such    thoughts,  saying,   "  The  Lord 


THE  ENEMY.  135 

hatli  not  sent  theer  Hard  is  the  fight  at  the 
beginning  ;  but  use  makes  it  easier.  It  is  not 
thou  alone  who  endureth  such  thoughts,  but  all 
the  saints  ;  yet  they  have  fought  and  conquered. 
So  also  thou,  yield  not  to  evil,  but  go  forth  brave- 
ly. The  highest  valor  in  this  fight  is  not  to  look 
at  these  thoughts  nor  to  investigate  them,  but  to 
disperse  them  like  a  flock  of  geese,  and  to  pass 
by.  He  who  has  learnt  this  has  conquered  ;  he 
who  has  not  learnt  it  will  be  conquered.  For 
to  gaze  at  them,  and  dispute  with  them  until 
they  cease,  or  freely  yield,  is  but  to  irritate  and  to 
strengthen  them. 

Let  Israel  be  an  example  to  thee,  who  over- 
came the  fiery  serpents,  not  by  gazing  or  by 
struggling,  but  by  averting  their  gaze,  and  look- 
ing at  the  brazen  serpent.  This  is  the  true  and 
certain  vi6lory  in  this  combat.  Therefore  take 
heed,  my  Jerome,  that  thou  suffer  them  not  to 
linger  in  thy  heart.  Thus  a  certain  wise  man 
replied  to  one  so  tempted,  who  said  "  Such  and 
such  sad  thoughts  have  come  into  my  mind,"  by 
saying,  "  Then  let  them  go  again."  And  another, 
as  a  wise  oracle  said,  "  Thou  canst  not  prevent 
the  birds  from  flying  above  thy  head  ;  but  thou 
canst  prevent  their  building  their  nests  in  thy 
hair." 


v 


To  Barbara  Lischnerinn. — 1530. 

IRTUOUS  dear  Lady  : — Your  dear  brother, 
Hieronymus,  Weller  has  told  me  how  you 


13^  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

are  troubled  with  temptations  about  the  eternal 
foreseeing  of  God.  That  is  truly  grievous  to  me. 
Christ,  our  Lord,  will  redeem  you  from  this. 
Amen. 

For  I  know  this  sickness  well,  and  have  lain 
sick  to  eternal  death  in  that  hospital. 

First,  you  must  grasp  firmly  in  your  own  heart 
that  such  thoughts  come  from  the  devil  and  are 
his  fiery  darts. 

Secondly,  when  such  thoughts  come,  you 
should  ask  yourself  "  In  what  commandment  is 
it  written  that  I  should  think  of  these  things  ; 
Thou,  O  devil,  wouldst  have  me  care  for  myself, 
but  I  must  cast  my  care  on  God,  for  He  careth 
for  me." 

Among  all  the  commands  of  God,  this  is  the 
highest  that  we  should  pidlure  to  ourselves  His 
dear  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  to  our 
hearts  the  daily  and  most  excellent  mirror  where- 
in we  see  how  dear  God  holds  us. 

Here  we  learn  God's  Providence,  by  believing 
in  Christ.  If  you  believe,  you  are  called  ;  if  you 
are  called,  you  are  also  predestinated.  Let  none 
tear  Christ,  this  mirror  and  throne  of  grace,  from 
your  heart. 

TO  the  heavy  temptations  concerning  eternal 
ele(5lion  which  so  deeply  distress  many,  no- 
where is  such  a  solution  to  be  found  as  in  the 
Wounds  of  Christ.  "  TJiis  is  My  beloved  Son  ; 
hear  Him,     In  Him  you  will  find  Who  and  what 


THE  ENEMY.  137 

I  am,  and  what   I   will  ;    and   nowhere  else  in 
heaven  or  on  earth." 

The  Father  has  fixed  a  sure  and  firm  founda- 
tion on  which  we  can  firmly  rest — Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord,  through  Whom  we  must  enter  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven.  For  He,  and  none  else,  is 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life. 

To  Vale7itine  Hatisinami. — 1532. 
HAVE  heard  of  your  heaviness  through  in- 
ward terrors ;  but  you  must  not  distress 
yourself  much  on  this  account ;  for  God  is  won- 
derful in  His  way  toward  us,  so  that  things 
seem  to  us  often  bad  and  hurtful  which  are  really 
most  useful  to  us,  although  we  understand  not 
how.  Who  knows  what  worse  might  have  come 
to  you,  if  God  had  not  thus  taken  you  under  His 
discipline,  and  kept  you  in  His  fear  1  Therefore 
you  must  not  be  impatient  although  your  faith 
be  not  strong.  For  St.  Paul  says  the  weak  in 
faith  are  not  to  be  rejefted.  God  is  not  a  Father 
who  casts  out  sick  and  diseased  children.  If  He 
were.  He  would  keep  none.  Therefore  you 
should  say  to  Him,  "  Dear  Father,  if  it  pleases 
Thee  thus  to  chastise  me,  I  will  be  content  to 
have  it  so.  Thy  will  be  done  ;  only  give  me 
patience." 

For  the  rest,  I  know  not  how  you  are  meeting 
this  ;  for  you  should  be  calling  on  God  and  pray- 
ing ;  especially  when  you  feel  the  terror  is  com- 
ing, fall  on  your  knees  and  cry  to  heaven  ;  and 


1 3  8  THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 

although  the  prayer  seem  to  you  in  vain,  and  too 
cold,  do  not  for  that  give  over.  Strike  a  firm 
stroke,  and  pray  so  much  the  more  earnestly,  the 
more  it  seems  to  you  in  vain. 

For  you  must  learn  to  fight  and  not  to  keep 
still  and  gaze,  or  suffer  whatever  this  temptation 
infli6ls,  until  it  ceases  of  itself  For  that  way 
will  only  gain  strength.  You  must  pray  mightily, 
and  call  aloud,  and  with  ringing  words  cry  out 
the  Our  Father. 

And  before  all  things  you  have  to  grasp  in 
your  heart  the  convi6tion  that  this  is  from  the 
devil,  whom  God  will  have  us  resist. 

But  if,  indeed,  you  cannot  pray,  let  something 
be  read  to  you  from  the  Psalms  or  the  New  Tes- 
tament, with  a  clear  voice  ;  and  listen  to  it. 
For  you  must  use  yourself,  at  such  times,  not  to 
wrestle  with  the  anguish  in  your  own  thoughts, 
without  God's  Word ;  you  should  hear  the  voice 
of  prayer  and  God's  Word  together. 

For  without  God's  Word  the  foe  is  too  strong 
for  us.  But  prayer  and  the  Word  of  God  he 
cannot  endure. 

To  Jonas  von  Stockhausen. — 1532. 

IT  has  been  shown  me  by  good  friends  how 
the  malignant  enemy  is  assailing  you  sorely 
with  weariness  of  life,  and  longing  for  death. 

You  know  we  must  be  obedient  to  God,  and 
diligently  guard  ourselves  against  disobedience 
to  His  will.      Now  you  are  sure  God  has  given 


THE  ENEMY.  139 

you  life,  and  has  not  yet  willed  you  to  be  dead. 
Therefore  you  can  have  no  doubt  that  such  diso- 
bedient thoughts  come  from  the  devil  ;  and  that 
with  all  your  might  you  must  tear  them  out. 

Life  was  sour  and  bitter  to  our  Lord  Christ ; 
yet  He  would  not  die  except  by  the  Father's  will, 
and  fled  from  death  and  held  to  life  whilst  He 
could,  and  said,  "  My  hour  is  not  yet  come!' 

Elias,  indeed,  and  Jonas,  and  other  prophets, 
called  and  cried  for  death,  from  great  anguish  and 
impatience  of  life  ;  cursed  even  the  day  of  their 
birth.  Yet  they  had  to  live  and  bear  this  weari- 
ness with  all  their  strength,  until  their  hour  was 
come. 

Such  words  and  examples  as  the  Holy  Ghost's 
words  and  warnings  you  must  faithfully  follow, 
and  the  thoughts  which  drive  you  thence  you 
must  cast  out  and  spit  upon.  And  although  this 
may  be  sour  and  bitter  to  do,  you  should  but 
think  of  yourself  as  one  bound  and  held  captive 
with  chains,  out  of  which  you  must  twist  and 
writhe  yourself,  with  sweat  of  anguish.  For  the 
devil's  darts,  when  they  pierce  so  deep,  are  not  to 
be  torn  out  with  laughter,  or  without  labor. 
They  must  be  wrenched  out  by  main  force.  You 
must  gnash  your  teeth  against  these  thoughts, 
and  set  your  face  as  a  flint  to  do  God's  will, 
harder  than  iron  or  anvil. 

Yet  the  best  counsel  of  all  is  that  you  should 
scorn  these  temptations,  and  make  as  if  you  did 
not  feel  them,  and  think  of  something  else,  and 


I40  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

say  to  the  devil,  "  Come,  then,  devil !  let  me 
alone  !  I  cannot  listen  to  thy  thoughts.  I  have 
to  travel,  eat,  drink,  ride,  or  do  this  or  that." 

Herewith  I  commend  you  to  our  dear  Lord,  the 
only  Saviour  and  true  Conqueror,  Jesus  Christ. 

To  the  Lady  von  Stockhausen. 

THE  devil  is  an  enemy  to  both  you  and  your 
husband,  because  you  hold  Christ,  his 
enemy,  dear. 

See  that  you  do  not  leave  your  husband  a 
moment  alone.  Solitude  is  pure  poison  for  him. 
It  would  do  no  harm  to  read  to  him  histories, 
news,  and  all  kinds  of  strange  things,  even  if 
they  were  gloomy  or  false  tidings  and  tales, 
about  the  Turks,  Tartars,  and  the  like,  if  he 
could  be  made  to  laugh  and  jest  about  it.  And 
thereon  soon  follow  with  comforting  words  of 
the  Scriptures. 

Whatever  you  do,  do  not  let  him  be  alone  or 
dull,  so  that  he  sink  into  thought.  Never  mind 
if  he  is  angry  at  this.  Pretend  that  you  are 
suffering,  and  complain  about  it. 

Christ,  who  is  the  cause  of  the  devil's  enmity 
and  your  heart-trouble,  will  help  you.  Only  hold 
fast  to  this,  that  you  are  the  apple  of  His  eye. 
Who  touches  you  touches  Him. 


I 


To  yohann  Schlaginhausen. — 1533. 

HEAR  with  pain  that  you  are  sometimes 
troubled  in  mind,  although,  indeed,  Christ  is 


THE  ENEMY.  I4I 

as  near  to  you  as  yourself,  and  will  surely  do 
you  no  harm,  since  He  has  shed  His  blood  for 
you.  Dear  friend,  give  honor  to  this  good,  faith- 
ful Man,  and  believe  that  He  holds  you  dearer, 
and  has  more  favor  to  you  than  Do6lor  Luther, 
and  all  Christians. 

What  you  trust  us  to  be,  trust  Him  to  be  far 
more. 

For  what  we  do,  we  do  at  His  bidding.  But 
He  who  bids  us  do  it.  Himself  does  all  unbid- 
den, from  His  own  spontaneous  goodness  and 
kindness. 

To  yoachim^  Prince  of  An  halt- — 1534. 

WE  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as 
we  ought,  but  He,  as  a  faithful  Father, 
knows  and  sees  well  how  we  should  pray,  and 
does  according  to  what  He  knows,  not  according 
to  how  we  pray. 

Thus  indeed  a  father  must  deal  with  his  child, 
not  giving  what  the  child  asks,  but  what  he 
knows  the  child  should  ask.  Although  the  child 
weeps  for  it,  that  does  not  hurt  him  ;  nor  is  the 
child's  request  less  dear  to  the  father  because 
he  does  not  give  in  the  way  the  child  desires. 

So  also,  often,  the  physician  must  not  do  what 
the  patient  wishes,  and  yet  he  holds  the  sick 
man  none  the  less  dear  for  his  sick  longings  and 
for  the  request  he  cannot  grant. 


142  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

I  counsel  you  also  (as  a  remedy  against  this 
depression)  to  ride,  hunt,  and  occupy  yourself  as 
a  young  man  should,  in  good  company,  who  can 
be  merry  with  you  in  a  godly  and  honorable 
way. 

To  yohann  Mantel^ 

SERVANT    OF    THE    CHURCH    AT   WITTENBERG. 

AS  to  what  you  write  about  temptation  and 
sadness  on  account  of  death,  you  know 
how  in  our  faith  we  express  and  confess  that  the 
Son  of  God  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was 
crucified  and  died  to  this  end,  that  He  might, 
for  all  who  believe  in  Him,  take  away  the  power 
from  death,  yea  altogether  and  utterly  abolish  it. 
Dear  friend,  what  great  matter  is  it  that  we  shall 
die,  when  we  really  think  that  He,  the  dear  Lord 
has  died,  and  has  died  for  us  ?  His  death  is  the 
true,  only  death  which  should  so  possess  and  fill 
our  hearts,  senses  and  thoughts,  that  it  should 
henceforth  be  to  us  no  otherwise  than  as  if  now 
nothing  was  living  any  more,  not  even  the  dear 
sun,  but  that  all  died  with  the  dear  Lord  ;  yet 
died  in  such  a  way  that  all  with  Him  shall  rise 
again  at  that  blessed  day. 

In  this  His  death  and  life,  our  death  and  life 
should  sink  and  be  swallowed  up,  as  those  who 
shall  live  with  Him  forever. 

And  truly  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  He 
has  been  before  us  with  His  death  ;  and  to  even 


THE  ENEMY.  1 43 

the  end  of  the  world.  He  waits  for  us  when  we 
shall  depart  out  of  this  brief,  poor  life,  and  He 
shall  welcome  us  and  receive  us  into  His  eternal 
kinefdom. 


'&' 


To  a  Pastor. 

ALAS,  we  live  in  the  kingdom  of  the  devil, 
ab  extra,  therefore  we  cannot  hear  or  see 
any  good,  ab  extra.  But  we  live  in  the  blessed 
Kingdom  of  Christ  ab  intra.  There  we  see, 
though  as  in  a  glass  darkly,  the  exceeding  unut- 
terable riches  of  the  grace  and  glory  of  God. 

Therefore,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  let  us  break 
through,  press  forward,  and  fight  our  way  through 
praise  and  blame,  through  evil  report  and  good 
report,  through  hatred  and  love,  until  we  come 
into  the  blessed  kingdom  of  our  dear  Father, 
which  Christ  the  Lord  has  prepared  for  us  before 
the  beginning  of  the  world.  There  only  shall 
we  find  joy.     Amen. 

GOD  forbid  that  the  offence  of  the  Cross 
should  be  taken  away  ;  which  thing  would 
come  to  pass  if  we  would  preach  that  which 
the  prince  of  this  world  and  his  members  would 
gladly  hear.  Then  we  should  have  a  gentle 
devil,  a  gracious  pope,  and  merciful  princes. 
But  because  we  set  forth  the  benefits  and  the 
glory  of  Christ,  they  persecute  us  and  spoil  us 
both  of  our  goods  and  lives. 


144  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

I  DID  not  learn  my  theology  all  at  once  ;  but 
I  have  had  to  search  ever  deeper  and  deeper 
into  it.  To  this  many  confli61s  have  brought 
me,  for  no  one  can  understand  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures without  exercise  and  confli6l.  Fanatics 
and  pretenders,  each  the  true  adversary,  namely 
the  devil,  who  with  his  bufFetings  drove  me  to 
study  the  Holy  Scriptures.  If  we  have  no  such 
devil,  we  are  only  speculative  theologians,  who 
rove  about  in  their  own  thoughts,  speculating 
that  thus  and  thus  it  must  be. 

Yet  no  good  art  or  handicraft  is  to  be  learned 
without  exercise.  What  kind  of  a  physician 
would  he  be  who  perpetually  did  nothing  but 
roam  about  the  schools }  He  must  bring  his 
art  into  pra6lice,  and  the  more  he  has  to  do  with 
nature,  the  more  he  sees  and  experiences  how 
imperfe6l  his  art  is. 

It  is  a  great  grace  of  God  to  be  able  to  say  of 
one  text  in  the  Bible,  "  That  I  know  for  certain 
to  be  true." 

I  know,  old  and  learned  Do6lor  that  I  am  (or 
ought  to  be),  that  I  have  not  yet  mastered  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  Without  exercise  and  experience 
no  one  can  become  truly  learned. 


THIS  will  not  be  thy  greatest  nor  thy  last 
temptation.  The  wisdom  of  God  is,  as  it 
were,  playing  with  thee  and  training  thee,  if  thou 
lives t,  for  real  war. 


THE  ENEMY.  145 

IT  is  a  hard  thing  to  say  always,  I  am  God's 
child  ;  and  to  be  comforted  and  refreshed  by 
the  great  grace  and  mercy  of  the  heavenly 
Father.  To  do  this  from  the  heart  is  not  what 
every  one  can  do.  Therefore,  without  exercise 
and  experience,  no  one  can  learn  the  faith  in  true 
purity. 

THE  Holy  Spirit  cheers  us,  and  teaches  us 
to  despise  death  and  all  dangers.  He  says 
(in  us),  "  If  God  wills  not  that  I  should  live,  then 
I  will  die ;  if  He  wills  not  that  I  should  be  rich, 
I  will  be  poor."  But  the  evil  spirit  saddens  and 
terrifies,  at  the  last,  after  making  secure  and  self- 
satisfied.  Joyfulness  comes  from  God,  depres- 
sion from  the  devil. 

CONFLICT  makes  us  live  in  the  fear  of 
God,  walk  circumspe611y,  pray  without  ceas- 
ing, grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  learn  to  understand  the  power  of  the 
Word. 

Therefore  be  not  faint-hearted,  nor  dismayed  ; 
but  take  such  confli6ls  for  a  sure  sign  that  thou 
hast  a  gracious  God,  since  thou  art  being  fash- 
ioned into  the  likeness  of  His  Son  ;  and  doubt 
not  that  thou  belongest  to  the  great  and  glorious 
brotherhood  of  all  the  Saints,  of  whom  St.  Peter 
says,  "  Resist  the  devil,  steadfast  in  the  faith, 
knowing  that  the  same  afflictions  are  accom- 
plished in  your  brethren  which  are  in  the  world." 

7 


146  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

THE  essence  of  temptation  is  that  we  forget 
the  present,  and  covet  the  future,  like  Eve 
in  Paradise. 

ALL  do  not  suffer  the  same  temptations.  In- 
deed they  could  not.  Some  must  be 
knuckles  and  bones  which  can  sustain  and  keep 
together  the  flesh.  Just  as  in  the  body  of  man, 
if  all  were  flesh  it  would  fall  into  a  shapeless 
mass.  The  knuckles  and  nerves  hold  the  flesh 
together.  So,  in  the  Christian  Church,  there 
must  be  some  who  can  sustain  good  bufletings 
from  the  devil  ;  such  as  we  three,  Philip  Melanch- 
thon.  Doctor  Pommer,  and  I.  But  all  could  not 
bear  it.  Therefore,  in  the  Church  we  pray  one 
for  another.     Prayer  does  all  things. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  said  to  Schlainhaeffen, 
"  Fear  not,  neither  be  dismayed.  All  will 
turn  to  the  best  for  you  ;  your  trial  will  work  for 
God's'  glory,  and  for  the  profit  and  health  of  us 
all. 

"  It  is  impossible  that  man's  heart  can  know 
God  truly  and  keep  Him  in  mind  without  the  cross 
and  temptation.  Believe  me,  if  you  had  not  such 
a  good  stone  in  God  the  Father's  house,  you  would 
not  have  these  confli6ts." 

ONLY  believe  firmly  God  will  make  an  end 
of  this  trial.     For  He  calls  that  which  is 
not,  that  it  may  be.    As  I  have  myself  experienced 


THE  ENEMY.  1 47 

in  sore  temptations,  which  so  exhausted  and 
tortured  my  body  that  I  could  scarcely  breathe, 
went  about  like  a  shadow,  like  a  corpse,  withered, 
parched  up,  and  no  man  could  comfort  me. 
All  to  whom  I  spoke,  said  "  I  know  not."  No 
confessor  could  understand  anything  of  it,  so  that 
I  said,  "Am  I,  then,  alone  .'^  Is  it  I  only  who 
must  be  thus  sorrowful  in  spirit  and  thus 
assailed  .'* " 

Dr.  Staupitz  said  to  me  at  table,  seeing  me  so 
sad  and  smitten  down,  "Why  are  you  so  sad, 
brother  Martin  t  "  Then  I  said,  "  Whither  shall 
I  flee  t  "  He  answered,  "  Ah  !  know  you  not 
that  such  temptation  is  good  for  you  }  Otherwise 
no  good  could  come  of  you." 

Ten  years  ago,  when  I  was  alone,  God  com- 
forted me  through  His  dear  angels,  with  my  own 
striving  and  writing. 

Therefore  fear  not  ;  you  are  not  alone. 

BISHOP  ALBERT  of  Mainz  used  to  say  that 
"  the  human  heart  is  like  a  mill-stone  in  a 
mill.  If  you  place  corn  on  it,  it  spins  round, 
grinds,  and  crushes,  and  makes  it  into  meal.  If 
there  is  no  corn  it  still  spins  round,  and  grinds 
itself,  so  that  it  becomes  thinner  and  smaller. 
So  the  human  heart  must  have  work  to  do  ;  if 
it  has  not  the  work  of  its  calling  to  fulfil, 
the  devil  comes  with  temptation,  heaviness, 
and  sadness,  till  the  heart  devours  itself  with 
sorrow." 


148  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

In  his  own  Sickness. 

"  A  H,  how  gladly  would  I  now  die.  For  I  am 
xjl  now  weary  and  worn  out,  and  have  a 
peaceful  and  joyful  conscience  and  heart.  But  I 
know,  as  soon  as  I  recover,  care,  toil,  and  tempta- 
tion will  not  keep  outside.  For  through  much 
tribulation  we  must  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God." 

IN  the  year  1538,  on  the  night  of  the  2d  of 
August,  Do6lor  Martin  Luther  had  a  severe 
pain  in  his  arm,  as  if  it  were  being  torn.  Then 
he  said,  "  Thank  God  !  That  we  can  say,  for  it  is 
an  easier  thing  to  yield  up  our  money,  or  our 
skin.  But  when  spiritual  temptations  come,  that 
we  could  say,  '  Cursed  be  the  day  wherein  I  was 
born  ! '  that  does  give  pain !  In  such  trial  was 
Christ,  in  the  Garden  :  '  Father  take  this  cup  from 
Me  ! '     There  was  the  will  against  the  will." 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  once  said  to  a  very 
desponding  man,  "  Oh,  friend,  what  art 
thou  doing }  Canst  thou  do  nothing  but  look  at 
thy  sins,  thy  death,  and  damnation  1  Turn  thine 
eyes  quite  the  opposite  way,  and  look  at  Him 
who  is  called  Christ.  Of  Him  it  is  written  that 
He  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  suffered,  died,  and  was  buried, 
descended  into  hell,  on  the  third  day  rose  again 
from  the    dead,  ascended  into   heaven.      Why, 


THE  ENEMY.  149 

dost  thou  think,  did  all  this  happen  ?  That  thou 
mightest  be  comforted  against  death,  and  sin. 
Therefore  cease  to  fear  and  to  be  dismayed. 
Verily  thou  hast  no  cause.  If  Christ  were  not 
there,  and  had  not  done  all  this  for  thee,  then 
indeed  thou  mightest  fear." 

SEE  what  a  life  the  Lord  Christ  led  whilst 
He  went  about  on  earth.  He  was  not 
much  alone  ;  there  was  ever  a  noise  and  stir 
of  much  people  around  Him.  He  was  never 
alone,  save  when  He  was  praying.  So  He  has 
promised,  ''Where  two  or  three  are  gathered 
together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst 
of  them." 

KING  DAVID,  when  he  was  alone  and  idle, 
and  went  not  forth  to  the  war,  fell  into 
temptation.  God  created  man  for  society,  and 
not  for  solitude. 

DR.  LUTHER  said  that  often  when  he  was 
tempted,  a  word  from  a  good  friend  had 
comforted  him:  "For  when,  in  the  year  1535,  I 
was  much  troubled  about  something,  and  cast 
down,  Do6lor  Pommer  said  to  me,  '  Our  Lord 
God  doubtless  thinks  in  heaven,  "  What  shall  I 
do  more  with  this  man.?  I  have  given  him  so 
many  great  and  noble  gifts,  and  still  he  will  de- 
spair of  my  goodness."  ' 

"  These  words  were  a  glorious,  great  comfort 


ISO  THE  BATTLE-FIELD. 

to  me,  and  took  fast  hold  of  my  heart,  as  if 
an  angel  from  heaven  had  spoken  them  to  me, 
although  Dr.  Pommer  thought  not  to  comfort  me 
with  them." 

IN  the  year  1541  Do6lor  Luther  was  recalling 
his  spiritual  temptation  in  his  sickness,  when 
for  fourteen  days  he  neither  ate,  drank,  nor  slept. 
*'  At  that  time  I  disputed  with  our  Lord  God  in 
wild  impatience,  and  reproached  Him  with  His 
promises.  Then  God  taught  me  to  understand 
the  Holy  Scriptures  aright ;  for  when  all  goes 
according  to  our  will  we  do  not  know  much  of 
God's  Word.  Now  God  will  not  have  us  be 
too  impatient ;  therefore  in  His  Holy  Scriptures 
He  requires  us  frequently  to  hope  and  wait  on 
Him,  as  in  the  Psalm,  *  I  wait  on  the  Lord  from 
one  morning  watch  to  another.'  For  if  God 
does  not  help  speedily,  yet  He  gives  grace  to 
sustain  temptation.  So  Job  says,  '  Though  He 
slay  me  I  will  trust  in  Himl  just  as  if  he  said, 
'■  Though  it  seems  as  if  Thou  hadst  turned  away 
Thy  face  from  me,  yet  I  will  never  believe  Thou 
art  my  enemy.' " 

A  NUN,  who  was  sorely  tempted,  and  had  no 
other  weapons  wherewith  to  drive  away 
the  devil,  said,  "  I  am  a  Christian  ;  that  word 
contains  everything  in   itself" 

GOD  has  set  a  firm  ground  for  us  to  tread 
on,  and   thereby  to    ascend    into  heaven, 


THE  ENEMY.  1 5  I 

even  Jesus  Christ.  He  only  is  the  way  and 
door  by  which  we  come  to  the  Father.  But  we 
want  to  begin  our  building  with  the  roof;  we 
despise  the  foundation,  and  therefore  we  must 
fall. 

AH,  if  that  great  man,  Paul,  were  living  now, 
how  glad  I  should  be  to  learn  from  him 
what  his  thorn  in  the  flesh  was.  It  was  not  a 
beloved  Thekla,  as  the  legends  say.  Oh  no!  It 
was  not  a  sin.     I  know  not  what  it  was. 

The  Book  of  Job  is  full  of  such  temptations. 
His  friends  and  comforters  were  sensible,  pru- 
dent, wise,  just,  and  pious  people  ;  yet  they  did 
not  touch  the  point.  For  around  this  turns  the 
whole  debate  in  the  book.  "  I  am  just  and  inno- 
cent," says  Job.  They  say,  on  the  contrary, 
"Ah!  that  is  of  the  devil,  to  say  that  thou  art 
good  and  just.  Then  God  must  be  unjust!" 
Round  this  question  revolves  the  whole  contro- 
versy. I  hold  that  the  Book  of  Job  is  a  history, 
afterward  worked  into  a  poem,  concerning  things 
which  were  adlually  experienced  by  some  one  ; 
although  not  uttered  in  the  words  in  which  it 
is  described. 

It  is  a  good  book,  and  therein  we  have  a 
choice  picture  and  example  of  an  assaulted  and 
troubled  Christian.  For  this  book  was  not  writ- 
ten with  reference  to  Job,  or  any  individual,  but 
is  a  mirror  for  all  suffering  Christians.  We  see 
in  it  what  kind  of  a  process  God  is  carrying  on 


152 


THE  BA  TTLE-FIELD. 


through  the  trials  of  the  Saints.  For  when  it 
is  only  the  devil  and  the  Chaldeans,  Job  can  be  pa- 
tient, and  says,  ''Blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  But  when  it  is  a  question  of  God's  an- 
ger, he  can  no  longer  bear  it,  and  falls  into  per- 
plexity and  disputing  about  the  happiness  of 
the  ungodly. 

But  he  worked  his  way  out  of  this  perplexity 
again  and  said,  "  I  know  that  Thou  art  good." 
Although  it  is  hard  to  say  it.  In  brief,  all  men 
have  flesh  and  blood  in  them  which  murmurs 
and  sets  itself  against  God  ;  for  it  is  hard  to  be- 
lieve, when  we  are  in  trial,  that  God  is  gracious 
to  us. 


Part  ^econtr. 


WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 


7* 


WORDS   FOR  THE    DAY'S 
MARCH. 


I. 


THE    LEADER. 

OR  the  rest,  I  am  expeaing  daily  the 
malecUaions  of  Rome.  I  am  dispos- 
ing and  arranging  all  things,  so  that 
when  these  arrive  I  may  go  forth  pre- 
pared and  girded  ;  like  Abraham  not  knowing 
whither,  or  rather  knowing  most  certainly  whith- 
er, since  God  is  everywhere. — 1518. 

WHAT  a  beautiful,  comforting  Gospel  that 
is  in  which  the  Lord  Christ  depi6ls 
Himself  as  the  Good  Shepherd  ;  showing  what 
a  heart  He  has  toward  us  poor  sinners,  and 
how  we  can  do  nothing  to  save  ourselves. 

The  sheep  cannot  defend  nor  provide  for  it- 


156         WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

self,  nor  keep  itself  from  going  astray  if  the  shep- 
herd did  not  continually  guide  it  ;  and  when  it 
has  gone  astray  and  is  lost,  it  cannot  find  its  way 
back  again  nor  come  to  its  shepherd ;  but  the 
shepherd  himself  must  go  after  it,  and  seek  it 
until  he  find  it ;  otherwise  it  would  wander  and 
be  lost  forever.  And  when  he  has  found  it  he 
must  lay  it  on  his  shoulder  and  carry  it,  lest  it 
should  again  be  frightened  away  from  himself, 
and  stray,  or  be  devoured  by  the  wolf. 

So  also  is  it  with  us.  We  can  neither  help 
nor  counsel  ourselves,  nor  come  to  rest  and  peace 
of  conscience,  nor  escape  the  devil,  death,  and 
hell,  if  Christ  Himself,  by  His  word,  did  not  fetch 
us,  and  call  us  to  Himself.  And  even  when  we 
have  come  to  Him,  and  are  in  the  faith,  we  can- 
not keep  ourselves  in  it,  unless  He  lifts  and  car- 
ries us  by  His  Word  and  power,  since  the  devil 
is  everywhere  and  at  all  times  on  the  watch  to 
do  us  harm.  But  Christ  is  a  thousand  times 
more  wilHng  and  earnest  to  do  all  for  His  sheep 
than  the  best  shepherd. 

Not  at  our  ow7z  Will, 

I  CANNOT  guide  myself,  and  yet  would  fain 
guide  the  world  !  Many  a  time  I  have  made 
fine  articles  and  rules,  and  brought  them  to  our 
Lord  God  to  guide  Him.  But  the  good  God  has 
let  me  see  in  the  end  how  all  my  mastering  has 
come  to  nothing. 


THE  LEADER.  15/ 

Not  at  our  ozu7t  Pace, 

THIS  temptation  oftentimes  excuseth  the  god- 
ly, that  their  Ufe  seemeth  unto  them  to  be 
rather  a  certain  slow  creeping  than  a  running. 
But  if  they  abide  in  sound  do6lrine  and  walk  in 
the  spirit,  let  this  nothing  trouble  them.  God 
judgeth  far  otherwise. 

For  that  which  seemeth  unto  us  to  be  very  slow, 
and  scarcely  to  be  creeping,  is  running  swiftly  in 
God's  sight.  Again,  that  which  is  to  us  nothing 
else  but  sorrow,  mourning,  and  death,  is  before 
God  joy,  goodness,  and  true  felicity. 

The   Word  of  God  as  Daily  Bread, 

ALTHOUGH  the  works  of  God  are  not 
dumb,  but  pi6ture  Him  to  our  eyes  that 
we  may  see  Him,  yet  He  comforts  us  far  more 
powerfully  when  He  adds  to  His  works  a  living 
Word,  which  the  eyes  do  not  see,  but  the  ears 
hear,  and  the  heart,  through  the  inworking  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  understands. 

"  The  Divine  Art  of  Learningr 

I  ALTHOUGH  I  am  an  old  Dodor  of  the 
,  Holy  Scriptures,  have  not  yet  come  out  of 
the  children's  lessons  ;  and  do  not  yet  rightly  un- 
derstand the  Ten  Commandments,  the  Creed,  and 
the  Lord's  Prayer.  I  cannot  study  or  learn  them 
through   and  through,  but  I  am  learning  daily 


IS8     WORDS  FOR  THE  BAY'S  MARCH. 

therein ;  and  I  pray  the  Catechism  with  my  son 
Hans,  and  with  my  little  daughter  Magdalene. 

When,  indeed,  do  we  understand  in  its  breadth 
and  depth  the  first  words  of  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
"  Who  art  in  heaven  "  f  For  if  I  understood  and 
believed  these  few  words,  that  God,  who  has  cre- 
ated heaven  and  earth,  and  all  creatures,  and  has 
them  in  His  hand  and  power,  is  my  Father,  then 
would  follow  this  sure  conclusion,  that  I  should 
also  be  a  lord  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  that  Christ 
should  be  my  brother,  and  all  things  be  mine. 
Gabriel  must  be  my  servant,  and  Raphael  my 
guide,  and  all  angels  must  minister  to  me  in  my 
needs. 

But  now,  that  my  faith  may  be  exercised  and 
preserved,  my  Father  in  heaven  lets  me  be 
thrown  into  a  dungeon,  or  fall  into  the  water. 
In  such  trials  we  see  and  experience  how  far  we 
understand  these  words,  how  our  faith  totters, 
and  how  great  our  weakness  is. 

Therefore,  the  one  little  word,  "  Thine''  or 
"  Ourl'  is  the  hardest  word  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  first  Command- 
ment, "  /  a7n  the  Lord  thy  God^ 

TO  fathom  and  truly  to  exhaust  one  single 
word  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  is  impossi- 
ble. I  defy  all  learned  men  and  theologians  to 
do  it. 

For  they  are  the  words  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ; 
therefore  they  are  too  high  for  all  men  ;  and  we 


THE  LEADER.  159 

new-born   Christians  have  only  the  first-fruits, 
not  the  tithe. 

I  have  many  times  thought  of  commenting  on 
the  Ten  Commandments,  but  when  I  have  only 
begun  with  the  first  word,  which  sounds  thus, 
"  /  am  the  Lord  thy  God,''  I  have  stopped  short 
at  the  little  word  "/."  And  not  yet  can  I  under- 
stand that  "  I." 

OH,  my  Lord  God,  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  not 
so  easily  understood,  even  when  one  reads 
them  diligently.  Let  us  learn  well  these  three 
words,  and  ever  remain  learners  before  them  :  to 
love,  fear,  and  trust  God. 

BEFORE  a  man  can  truly  understand  the 
first  word  in  Genesis,  "  lit  the  beginning- 
God  created  the  lieavens  and  the  earth,''  he  dies. 
If  he  lived  a  thousand  years  he  would  not  learn 
those  words  through  and  through. 

MY  best  and  Christian  counsel  is,  that  all 
should  draw  from  this  spring  or  well- 
head ;  that  is,  should  read  the  Bible  dihgently. 
For  he  who  is  well  grounded  and  exercised  in 
the  text  will  be  a  good  and  perfe6l  theologian  ; 
since  one  saying  or  text  from  the  Bible  is  better 
than  many  glosses  and  commentaries,  which 
are  not  strong  and  sound,  and  do  not  stand  the 
enemy's  thrust. 


l6o  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

THE  Bible  is  a  very  large,  wide  forest,  where- 
in stand  many  trees,  of  all  kinds,  from 
which  we  can  gather  many  kinds  of  fruits.  For 
in  the  Bible  we  have  rich  consolation,  do6lrine, 
instru61ion,  exhortation,  warning,  promises,  and 
threatenings.  But  in  all  this  forest  there  is  not 
a  tree  which  I  have  not  shaken,  and  broken  off 
at  least  a  pair  of  apples  or  pears  from  it. 

CABALA  was  good  until  Christ ;  but  now 
that  Christ  has  come,  and  His  grave 
stands  open,  all  that  is  over.  Our  fanatics  say 
that  much  is  still  dark  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  not  yet  manifest.  That  is  false,  and  not 
true  ;  for  the  sepulchre  is  open,  and  Christ  has 
come  forth  into  the  light.  Therefore,  whoso- 
ever knows  Christ  truly  is  a  master  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  remains  a  master. 

N  this  Book  thou  findest  the  swaddling- 
clothes,  and  the  manger  wherein  Christ  is 
laid.  Thither  the  angels  dire6led  the  shepherds. 
These  swaddling-clothes  may  indeed  be  poor 
and  little ;  but  precious  is  Christ,  the  treasure 
laid  therein. 

ONCE  when  Jeit  Dietrich  said  to  the  Doc- 
tor, in  reference  to  heresies,  "  It  would 
be  better  to  pray  not  to  be  learned  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures  than  to  be  learned  in  them,"  Do6lor 
Luther  answered,  "  No,  no  !  we  might  as  well 
pray  that  there  should  be  no  gold  in  the  world, 


THE  LEADER.  l6l 

or  no  sun  in  the  world  ;  because  without  the 
sun  many  crimes  could  not  be  committed. 

It  is  an  abominable  slander  against  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  against  all  Christendom,  to  say 
that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  obscure.  There 
never  was  written  on  earth  a  clearer  book  than 
the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  compared  with  all  other 
books,  it  is  as  the  sun  to  all  other  light. 

Let  none  tempt  you  away  from  the  Scriptures. 
For  if  you  step  out  of  these  you  are  lost  ;  your 
enemies  lead  you  whither  they  will.  But  if  you 
keep  to  them  you  have  overcome,  and  will  heed 
their  raging  no  more  than  the  rock  heeds  the 
waves  and  billows  of  the  sea. 

Only  be  certain  and  doubt  not  that  nothing  is 
clearer  than  the  sun,  that  is,  the  Scriptures.  If 
a  cloud  glides  before  them,  behind  them  is  no- 
thing but  the  same  clear  sun.  So,  if  there  is  a 
dark  saying  in  the  Scriptures,  doubt  not  ;  be- 
hind it,  most  surely,  is  shining  the  same  truth 
which  in  other  places  is  clear  ;  and  let  him  who 
cannot  pierce  the  dark,  keep  to  what  is  clear. 

THE  Word  of  God  is  a  light  which  shines  in 
darkness,  brighter  than  the  sun  at  mid-day. 
For  in  death  not  only  is  the  light  of  this  material 
sun  extinguished,  but  even  of  reason  with  all  her 
wisdom.  But  there,  with  all  faithfulness,  the 
Word  of  God  still  shines,  an  eternal  sun,  which 
faith  only  sees,  and  follows  on  into  the  clear 
Eternal  Life. 


1 62  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

I  HAVE  often  said  that  from  the  beginning  I 
have  prayed  the  Lord  that  He  would  send 
me  neither  dream,  nor  vision,  nor  angel.  But  I 
have  entreated  also,  with  earnest  prayer,  that  He 
would  give  me  the  true  and  sure  understanding 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

"   A    H,  if  I  were  only  a  good  poet,"  he  sighed, 
ir\.   "  I    would    fain    write    a    costly  Carmen, 
Song,  or  Poem,  concerning  the  use,  power,  and 
fruitfulness  of  the  Divine  Word." 

HE  said,  "  You  have  now  the  Bible  in  Ger- 
man. Now  I  will  cease  from  my  labors. 
You  have  what  you  want.  Only  see  to  it,  and 
use  it  after  my  death.  It  has  cost  me  labor 
enough.  What  an  unspeakable  gift  it  is  that 
God  speaks  to  us." 

IN  the  evening,  bear  something  of  sacred 
words  with  thee  in  thy  heart  to  bed ;  chew- 
ing the  cud  of  which,  like  a  clean  ruminant  ani- 
mal, thou  mayst  sweetly  fall  asleep. 

But  let  it  not  be  much  in  quantity ;  rather 
little,  well  pondered  and  understood  ;  so  that 
rising  in  the  morning  thou  mayst  find  ready  for 
thee  the  relics  of  last  night's  feast. 

For  in  all  study  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  we 
should  despair  of  our  own  wit  and  labor,  and  seek 
understanding  with  fear  and  humility  from  God. 
At  the  close,  and  often  during  the  reading,  lift  up 


THE  LEADER.  1 63 

the  eyes  of  thy  heart,  and  of  thy  body,  to  Christ, 
with  a  brief  sigh  imploring  His  grace,  saying 
and  thinking,  "  Grant,  Lord,  that  I  may  rightly 
understand  these  things  ;  yet  more,  that  I  may 
do  them.  Behold,  Lord  Jesus,  if  this  study  be 
not  to  Thy  glory,  let  me  not  understand  a  syllabic. 
But  give  to  me  whatever  shall  seem  to  Thee  for 
Thy  glory  in  me  a  sinner." 

SAINT  JOHN  the  Evangelist  speaks  majes- 
tically, with  very  simple  words  ;  as  when  he 
says,  "/;/  tJie  bcginniiigzvas  the  Word!' 

See  with  what  simple  words  he  describes  God 
the  Creator,  and  all  the  creatures  ;  as  with  a  flash 
of  lightning. 

If  a  philosopher  and  man  of  learning  had  un- 
dertaken to  write  of  such  things,  how  would  he 
have  gone  round  about  with  wondrous,  swelling, 
high-sounding  words,  magnificent  but  obscure, 
de  ente  et  essentia^  of  self-existence,  and  divine 
and  heavenly  powers,  so  that  one  could  have  un- 
derstood nothing.  Never  were  simpler  words  ; 
yet  under  such  simplicity  he  says  all. 

Every  word  in  him  is  worth  an  hundred- 
weight ;  as  when  he  writes,  "  He  came  into  a 
city  of  Samaria  called  Sychar,  and  spoke  with  a 
woman  ;  "  and,  "  the  Father  honoreth  the  Son." 

They  are  indeed,  in  appearance,  slumbering 
words  ;  but  when  one  wakes  them  up,  and  unveils 
them,  and  earnestly  meditates  on  them,  they  are 
found  indeed  worthy. 


164  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

UNDER  the  papacy  they  were  constantly 
making  pilgrimages  to  the  shrines  of  the 
Saints  ;  to  Rome,  Jerusalem,  St.  lago  de  Com- 
postella,  in  order  to  make  satisfa6lion  for  sins  ;  but 
now  we  may  make  true  Christian  pilgrimages,  in 
faith,  which  will  please  God  ;  that  is,  if  we  dili- 
gently read  the  Prophets,  Psalms,  Evangelists. 
Thus  shall  we  make  journeys,  not  through  the 
earthly  cities  of  the  saints,  but  in  our  thoughts 
and  hearts  to  God  Himself ;  thus  shall  we  make 
pilgrimages  to  the  true  Promised  Land,  and  Para- 
dise of  Eternal  Life. 


II. 


SPECIAL  GRACES. 


Cot^e,  i^i^ttiilitw,  -forbearance,  ©cntUneaa, 
(5oobuc03. 

Love, 

T  had  been  enough  (in  enumerating 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit)  to  have  said 
love,  and  no  more  ;  for  love  expandeth 
itself  into  all  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
when  he  saith,  "  Love  is  patient,  courteous,"  &c. 
Our  love  to  our  neighbors  should  be  like  a 
pure,  chaste  love  between  bride  and  bridegroom, 
by  which  all  infirmities  are  veiled,  covered,  and 
made  the  best  of,  and  only  virtues  looked  at. 

The  law  of  Christ  is  the  law  of  love.  And  to 
love  is  not  merely  to  wish  well  one  to  another, 
but  to  bear  one  another's  burdens,  that  is,  to  bear 
those  things  which  are  giievous  unto  thee,  and 
which  thou  wouldst  not  willingly  bear.    Therefore 


1 66  WORDS  FOR  THE  DA  Y'S  MARCH. 

Christians  must  have  strong  shoulders  and  power- 
ful bones,  that  they  may  bear  flesh,  that  is  to  say, 
the  weakness  of  their  brethren  ;  for  Paul  says 
that  they  have  burdens  and  troubles.  Love  is 
mild,  patient,  courteous. 

How  Luther  bore  the  Burdens  of  others. 

HEN  Do6lor  Sebald  and  his  wife  both 
died  of  the  plague,  and  Dr.  Martin  Lu- 
ther took  their  children  home  to  his  own  house, 
many  blamed  him  and  said  he  was  tempting  God. 
"  Ah  !  "  he  said,  "  I  had  fine  masters  who  would 
have  taught  me  what  it  is  to  tempt  God." 

Joy. 

THIS  is  the  Voice  of  the  Bridegroom  and  the 
Bride  ;  that  is  to  say,  sweet  cogitations  of 
Christ,  wholesome  exhortation,  pleasant  songs 
and  psalms,  praises  and  thanksgivings. 

God  loveth  not  heaviness  and  doubtfulness  of 
spirit  ;  He  hateth  discomforting  do6lrine,  heavy 
and  sorrowful  cogitations,  and  loveth  cheerful 
hearts. 

Joy  and  Fear. 

DAVID  says,  "  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and 
rejoice  before  Him  with  trenibliiigr 
Let  some  one  make  this  rhyme  for  me  :  "  to 
rejoice  "  and  "  to  fear." 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  1 6/ 

My  little  son  Hans  can  do  this  with  me,  but  I 
cannot  do  it  with  God.  For  when  I  sit  and  write, 
or  do  anything,  he  sings  a  little  song  to  me  the 
while  ;  and  if  he  makes  it  too  loud,  and  I  tell 
him  so,  then  he  still  sings  on,  but  makes  it  softer, 
crowing  on  with  a  sweet  little  subdued  voice, 
slyly  watching  me  all  the  time.  So  would  God 
have  it  with  us,  that  we  should  be  always  rejoic- 
ing, yet  with  fear  and  reverence  before  Him. 

Grace  and  Peace. 

THESE  two  words,  grace  and  peace,  do  con- 
tain in  them  the  whole  sum  of  Christianity. 
Grace  containeth  the  remission  of  sins  ;  peace,  a 
quiet  and  joyful  conscience. 

When  the  grace  and  peace  of  God  are  in  the 
heart,  then  is  man  strong,  so  that  he  can  neither 
be  cast  down  by  adversity,  nor  puffed  up  by  pros- 
perity ;  but  walketh  on  evenly,  and  keepeth  the 
highway,  and  is  able  to  bear  and  overcome  all 
troubles,  yea,  even  death  itself;  for  in  spirit  he 
walketh  in  the  paradise  of  grace  and  peace. 

Humility. 

I-KARN  OF  ME. 

NO  one  ever  made  himself  so  low  and  little  as 
Christ,  so  that  He  alone  has  the  right  to 
say,  "  Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart ; "  words  which  no  Saint  can  venture  to  ut- 
ter, nor  ever  more  claim  to  himself  the  master- 


t68    words  for  the  da  y's  march. 

ship  in  meekness  and  lowliness.     All  together 
they  abide  forever  scholars  under  this  Master. 

The  whole  Gospel  is  nothing  more  than  the 
history  of  this  lowliest  "  Son  of  God,"  and  of  His 
humiliation. 

BY  His  washing  of  the  disciples'  feet,  the 
Lord  Christ  would  show  us  that  the  king- 
dom which  He  was  establishing  should  not  be 
an  outward,  worldly  kingdom,  wherein  there  is 
respe6l  of  persons,  one  greater  and  higher  than 
another,  as  in  Moses'  kingdom  ;  but  a  kingdom 
wherein  one  should  serve  another  by  humility. 
"  The  greatest  among  you  shall  be  as  the  young- 
est ;  and  he  that  is  chief  among  you  as  he  that 
doth  serve.  " 

No  man,  if  he  were  the  gentlest  and  kindest  in 
the  world,  could  have  such  a  gentle  bearing  as 
Christ  had  ;  for  Christ  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  who 
beareth  the  sin  of  the  world. 

The  Ge7itleness  of  Christ. 

THERE  is  a  legend  of  St.  Peter,  that  he 
had  always  by  him  a  cloth  wherewith  he 
wiped  his  eyes,  which  were  often  red  with  weep- 
ing. (And  I  can  well  believe  it !)  When  he 
was  asked  why  he  wept,  he  said,  "  When  he 
recalled  that  most  sweet  gentleness  of  Christ 
with  His  apostles,  he  could  not  restrain  his  tears." 
Christ  must  indeed  have  been  perfe6l  in  kind- 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  1 69 

ness  and  tenderness.     And  even  so  and  even  such 
is  he  now  daily  with  us,  but  we  perceive  it  not. 

The  Silence  of  Christ, 

CHRIST  refrained  from  preaching  and  teach- 
ing until  His  thirtieth  year,  ever  keeping 
silence,  and  suffering  Himself  not  to  be  seen  or 
heard  in  public.  Throughout  those  years,  what 
great  and  manifold  impieties,  idolatries,  false  re- 
ligions, blasphemies,  heresies,  and  schisms  must 
He  have  seen.  Yet  He  could  refrain  Himself  un- 
til He  was  called  to  the  office  of  the  Prophet. 
This  is  much  to  be  wondered  at. 

L^ither  Nothing  i7i  Himself, 

MANY  believe  for  my  sake.  But  those  only 
believe  rightly  who  would  remain  stead- 
fast in  their  faith,  if  they  heard  (which  God  forbid) 
that  I  had  denied  and  apostatized.  These  be- 
lieve not  in  Luther,  but  in  Christ.  The  Word 
possesses  them,  and  they  possess  the  Word.  Lu- 
ther they  can  let  go,  be  he  a  saint  or  a  villain. 
God  can  speak  as  well  through  Balaam  as 
through  Isaiah,  through  Caiaphas  as  through  Pe- 
ter.    Yea,  He  can  speak  by  an  ass. 

I  myself  know  nothing  of  Luther  ;  will  know 
nothing  of  him.  I  preach  nothing  of  him  ;  only 
of  Christ.  The  devil  may  take  Luther  (if  he 
can).  If  he  leave  Christ  in  peace,  it  will  be  well 
with  us  too. 

8 


I/O  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

So  let  US  pray,  before  all  things,  that  God  may 
make  His  clear  Child  Jesus  great  in  our  hearts, 
from  day  to  day,  that  with  all  eagerness  and  joy 
we  may  praise,  bless,  and  confess  Him  before  all. 

Our  God  is  the  God  of  the  low  and  the  lowly. 
Power  becomes  strong  in  weakness  ;  if  we  were 
not  weak,  we  should  be  proud.  It  is  only  in  weak- 
ness He  can  show  His  strength. 

Humility  the  Secret  of  Unity. 

TO  MICHAEL  DRESSEL  AND   THE   AUGUSTINIAN  CHAPTER  AT 
NEUSTADT,    1 5 16,  25  SEPTEMBER. 

I  HEAR  with  grief  that  though  living  in  one 
house,  you  are  living  without  peace  and  unity, 
neither  are  you  of  one  heart  and  mind  in  the 
Lord.  This  miserable  and  useless  way  of  living 
comes  either  from  the  weakness  of  your  humility 
— for  where  humility  is,  there  is  peace — or  from 
your  and  my  fault,  in  that  we  do  not  entreat 
before  the  Lord  who  made  us,  that  He  will  dire61- 
our  way  in  His  sight,  and  lead  us  in  His  righteous- 
ness. He  errs,  errs,  errs,  who  by  his  own  coun- 
sel presumes  to  dire6l  himself,  much  more  others. 
With  humble  prayer  and  devoted  affedlion  must 
we  seek  this  from  God, 

There  is  peril  in  a  life  without  peace,  for  it  is 
without  Christ,  and  is  rather  death  than  life. 

ALL  the  works  of  God  are  embraced  in  the 
Magnificat.      If  a  thing  exalts  itself,  it  is 
nothing  ;  and  again,  when  it  is  at  the  lowest  and 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  \J\ 

lowliest,  it  is  once  more  exalted.  If  the  weak  in 
faith  did  not  belong  to  Christ,  what  would  have 
become  of  the  Apostles,  whom  the  Lord,  even 
after  His  resurredlion,  often  had  to  rebuke  for 
their  unbelief 


Bearing  one  :2lnotl)ev'0  Buvliens. 
Forgive  because  forgiven, 

TO  GEORGE  SPENLEIN 1516. 

FOR  the  rest,  about  which  thy  soul  is  con- 
cerned, I  desire  to  know  whether,  wearied 
out  with  her  own  righteousness,  she  is  learning 
to  breathe  and  trust  in  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  For  in  this  our  age,  this  temptation  to 
presumption  waxes  hot  in  many,  and  chiefly  in 
those  who  are  struggling  with  their  whole  might 
to  be  just  and  good. 

Ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  God,  which 
in  Christ  is  freely  and  most  generously  bestowed 
upon  us,  they  seek  in  themselves  to  do  such  good 
works  that  at  last  they  may  have  confidence  in 
standing  before  God,  as  if  adorned  with  virtues 
and  merits  ;  which  is  impossible  to  be  done. 

When  thou  wert  with  us  thou  wert  of  this 
opinion,  and  in  this  error,  and  I  also.  But  now 
I  contend  against  this  error ;  not  yet,  however, 
have  I  overcome. 

Therefore,  my  good  brother,  learn  Christ,  and 
Him  crucified ;  learn  to  sing  to  Him,  and  despair- 


1/2     WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

ing  of  thyself,  to  say  to  Him  "  Thou,  Lord  Jesus, 
art  my  righteousness,  but  I  am  Thy  son.  Thou 
hast  taken  on  Thee  what  is  mine,  and  Thou  hast 
given  to  me  what  is  Thine.  Thou  hast  taken  what 
Thou  wast  not,  and  given  to  me  what  I  was  not." 

Take  heed  lest  thou  aspire  to  such  a  purity 
as  not  to  seem  to  thyself  a  sinner.  For  Christ 
dwells  only  in  sinners.  For  this  cause  did  He 
descend  from  heaven,  where  He  dwells  in  the  just, 
that  He  might  also  dwell  in  sinners. 

Ruminate  on  that  love  of  His,  and  thou  shalt 
be  conscious  of  most  sweet  consolation  in  thy  soul. 

For  if  by  our  labors  and  affli61ions  it  is  pos- 
sible for  us  to  reach  quiet  of  conscience,  for 
what  did  He  die  t  Therefore,  nowhere  save  in 
Him,  by  a  confiding  self-despair,  wilt  thou  find 
peace  ;  whilst  thou  learnest  of  Him,  that  as  He 
has  taken  thee  on  Himself,  and  made  thy  sins  His, 
so  also  has  He  made  His  righteousness  thine. 

If  thou  firmly  believest  this,  as  thou  shouldst 
(and  he  who  believes  not  is  accursed), then  do  thou 
also  take  on  thee  thy  undisciplined  and  erring 
brethren,  and  patiently  bear  with  them,  making 
their  sins  thine  own.  And  if  thou  hast  anything 
good,  let  it  be  theirs.  So  teaches  the  apostle  : 
"  Receive  ye  one  ajiother,  as  Christ  also  received  its, 
to  the  glory  of  God.  "  And  again,  "  Let  this  inind 
be  in  yoiij  zvJiich  was  also  in  CJirist  Jesiis,  who 
being  in  the  form  of  God,  emptied  Himself !'  So 
also  thou,  if  thou  seemest  to  thyself  better  than 
they,  think  it  not  robbery,  or  something  meant 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  1 73 

for  thyself  alone,  but  "empty  thyself,"  and  forget 
what  thou  art,  and  be  as  one  of  them,  that  thou 
mayest  sustain  them. 

For  miserable  is  that  righteousness,  which  by 
comparison  deeming  others  worse,  will  not  bear 
with  them,  but  meditates  to  fly  and  desert  them, 
when  by  patience  and  prayer  while  present  with 
them  it  might  be  profitable  to  them.  This  is  to 
hide  the  Master's  talent,  and  not  give  it,  as  due, 
to  the  usurers. 

Therefore,  if  thou  art  a  lily  and  a  rose  of 
Christ,  since  thine  abode  must  be  among  thorns, 
seek  and  strive  with  a  single  heart  for  the  welfare 
of  others,  lest  by  impatience  and  rash  judgment, 
or  by  hidden  pride,  thou  thyself  become  a  thorn. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  in  the  midst  of  His 
enemies,  as  saith  the  Psalm.  Dost  thou,  then, 
image  to  thyself  that  thine  shall  be  in  the  midst 
of  friends  t 

Thus,  whatever  thou  lackest,  prostrate  before 
the  Lord  Jesus,  ask  for  it.  He  Himself  will  teach 
thee  all  things.  Consider  only  what  He  has  done 
for  thee,  and  for  all,  that  thou  also  mayest  learn 
what  is  due  from  thee  to  others. 

If  He  had  willed  to  live  only  amongst  the  good, 
and  to  die  for  friends,  for  whom,  I  ask,  would  He 
have  died,  or  with  whom  would  He  have  lived  } 

Thus  do,  my  brother,  and  pray  for  me,  and  the 
Lord  be  with  thee. 

Wittenberg,  1516. 

Thy  Brother,  Martin  Luther,  Augustinian. 


174     WORDS  FOR   THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

To  the  People  of  Wittenberg, 

ON  BEARING   WITH  THE    WEAK. 

CHRIST  has  borne  our  impotence  in  life  and 
death.  As  Christ  has  done  for  us,  we  should 
do  for  our  neighbor.  He  has  borne  our  infir- 
mities ;  so  should  we  bear  our  neighbor's  in- 
firmities. 

They  have  brought  in  these  innovations  in 
trivial  things,  and  let  faith  and  love  go. 

We  have  many  weak  brothers  and  sisters  who 
dwell  around  us.  These  also  must  we  take  with 
us  to  heaven. 

If  Duke  George  and  many  others  are  angry 
and  enraged  with  us,  let  us  bear  with  them.  It 
is  possible  that  they  may  become  better  men 
than  we  are. 

In  these  free  things,  we  must  nowhere  insist ; 
only,  if  our  enemies  insist  on  them  as  necessary 
things,  we  must  resist. 

Mark  this  emblem.  The  sun  has  lisiht  and  heat. 
This  light  no  kaiser  nor  king  can  quench.  So  also 
no  one  can  quench  the  Word,  But  the  heat  we  can 
flee,  and  go  into  the  shade.  Thus  does  Love, 
yielding  to  her  neighbor,  whenever  needful. 

The  Incarnation  the  Bo7id  between  Men. 
1521. 

OD  has  become    man  ;  nevermore,  there- 
fore, should  we  be  enemies  to  any  man. 


G 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  175 

We  should  be  ready  to  lay  down  life  for  each 
other.  Who  would  hate  or  injure  the  image  in 
body  and  soul  of  Him  who  is  thy  God  ? 

Those  who  wrong  tcs  still  our  Neighbors. 

EVERY  man  is  my  neighbor,  who  although 
he  hath  done  me  some  wrong,  or  hurt  me 
by  any  manner  of  way  ;  yet  notwithstanding,  he 
hath  not  put  off  the  nature  of  man,  or  ceased  to 
be  flesh  and  blood,  and  the  creature  of  God  most 
like  unto  myself  Briefly,  he  ceaseth  not  to  be 
my  neighbor.  As  long,  then,  as  the  nature  of 
man  remaineth,  so  long  remaineth  the  command- 
ment of  love,  which  requireth  at  my  hand  that  I 
should  not  despise  mine  own  flesh,  nor  render 
evil  for  evil ;  but  overcome  evil  with  good,  else 
shall  love  never  be  as  Paul  describeth  it. 

GOD  forgives  sins  of  pure  grace  for  Christ's 
sake  ;  but  we  must  not  abuse  His  grace 
and  forgiveness.  Our  Lord  God  has  given  us 
many  signs  that  sins  shall  be  forgiven  us,  namely, 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  Baptism,  the  Sacra- 
ment, and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  our  heart. 

Now,  it  is  also  needful  that  we  give  a  sign 
to  show  that  we  have  received  forgiveness  of 
sins.  This  sign  is,  that  each  of  us  forgive  his 
brother  his  trespasses.  Although,  indeed,  be- 
tween God's  forgiveness  and  ours  there  is  no 
comparison.  What  are  the  hundred  pence  to 
the  ten  thousand  talents  .'' 


1/6  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

But  to  this  brotherly  forgiveness  it  is  essential 
that  the  brother  whom  I  am  to  forgive  should 
confess  his  sins  ;  for  sin  which  is  not  confessed, 
I  cannot  forgive.  If  my  brother  continues  to 
wrong  me,  I  must  indeed  suffer  it,  but  I  cannot 
forgive  it,  because  he  will  not  confess  it. 

Care  for  the  Fallen, 

TAKE  care  of  this  fallen  brother  of  thine, 
yea,  of  ours.  Nor  do  thou,  averted  from 
pity,  abandon  him  who,  subverted  by  impiety, 
abandoned  thee.  Let  it  not  distress  thee  that 
ye  suffer  offence.  To  bear  one  another's  bur- 
dens is  that  to  which  we  are  all  called,  baptized, 
ordained.  For  such  has  Christ  been  to  us,  such 
He  is,  such  He  will  be  forever ;  as  it  is  written, 
"  Thoti  art  a  Priest  forever^ 

Hope  for  the  Fallen. — 15 1 6. 

NO  man  hath  so  grievously  fallen  at  any 
time,  but  he  may  rise  again.  And  on  the 
other  hand,  no  man  taketh  so  fast  footing  but 
he  may  fall.  If  Peter  fell,  I  may  likewise  fall. 
If  he  rose  again,  I  may  also  rise  again. 

A  Child  helping  a  Veteran, 

GO  to  thy  brother  in  hours  of  temptation. 
One  alone  is  too  weak  to  encounter  the 
tempter.  I  am  often  glad  of  having  even  a  child 
to  speak  to.     This  is  so,  in  order  that  we  may 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  IJJ 

not  glorify  ourselves.  Therefore  at  times  I  need 
and  find  help  from  one  who  has  not  as  much 
theology  in  his  whole  person  as  I  have  in  one 
finger,  that  I  may  learn  what  that  meaneth, 
"  My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weaknessy 

OFTEN  when  I  have  lain  under  temptation, 
and  have  been  in  anguish,  Philip  Melanch- 
thon,  or  Dr.  Pommer,  or  my  own  wife  has  com- 
forted me  with  the  Word  of  God,  so  that  I  came 
thereby  into  peace,  and  felt  "  God  says  this,"  be- 
cause my  brother  said  it 

I  UNDERSTAND  now  that  St.  Paul  was  at 
times  weak  in  faith,  and  when  he  went  to 
Rome  he  was  comforted  when  he  saw  that  the 
brethren  came  to  meet  him. 

Yielding  for  Peace  sake. 

IF  two  goats  meet  each  other  on  a  narrow 
path  above  a  river,  what  will  they  do } 
They  cannot  turn  back  ;  they  cannot  pass  each 
other  ;  if  they  were  to  butt  at  each  other,  both 
would  fall  into  the  water  and  be  drowned.  What 
then  will  they  do }  Nature  has  taught  them,  one 
to  lie  down,  and  let  the  other  pass  over  it.  Thus 
both  are  unhurt. 

So  should  one  man  do  to  another  ;  let  himself 
be  trodden  under  foot  rather  than  quarrel  and 
contend. 

8* 


1 78     WORDS  FOR  THE  DA  Y'S  MARCH. 


Toleration  of  Differences. 

Y  the  Word  alone  I  condemn.  Let  him  who 
believes,  believe  and  follow.  Let  him  who 
believes  not,  not  believe,  and  be  dismissed.  No 
man  is  to  be  constrained  to  faith  and  the  things 
of  faith,  but  to  be  drawn  by  the  Word,  that  be- 
lieving willingly,  he  may  come  spontaneously 

Cease  to  contend  by  violence  for  the  Gospel, 
By  the  Word  the  world  is  overcome.  By  the 
Word  the  Church  is  preserved,  and  by  the  Word 
she  is  restored. 


CHRISTIAN  freedom  is  no  trifle,  although 
it  may  concern  a  trifle. 


KNOW,  I  know  it   must  be  that  offences 
come  ;    neither  is   it  a  miracle  for  man   to 
fall.     The  miracle  is  for  man  to  rise  asrain  and 

o 

stand  upright.  Peter  fell  that  he  might  know 
himself  to  be  a  man.  To-day  also  the  cedars  of 
Lebanon  fall,  whose  tops  touch  the  heavens. 
Nay  (which  surpasses  all  wonders),  an  angel 
fell  in  heaven,  and  Adam  in  Paradise. 

What  wonder  then  if  a  reed  is  shaken  with 
the  wind,  and  the  smoking  flax  is  quenched  ? 
The  Lord  Jesus  teach  thee,  and  work  with  thee, 
and  finish  the  good  work. 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  1/9 

®l)ankfulnc03. 

How  God  gives. 

IF  God  refused  us  for  a  time  the  use  of  His 
creatures  ;  if  He  once  withheld  the  sun  from 
shining,  at  another  time  imprisoned  the  air,  or 
again  dried  up  the  waters,  or  quenched  the  fire, 
then  we  would  indeed  eagerly  give  all  our  money, 
and  everything  we  possessed,  to  have  once  more 
the  use  of  these  creatures. 

But  because  He  lavishes  His  gifts  and  riches 
on  us  so  freely  and  so  abundantly,  we  claim  them 
as  a  right.  Thus  the  unspeakably  great  abun- 
dance of  His  countless  benefits  hinders  and  dark- 
ens our  faith. 

Constancy  of  GocTs  Gifts  leading  to  In- 
gratitude, 

GOD  gives  sun  and  moon  and  stars  and 
elements,  fire  and  water,  air  and  earth, 
and  all  creatures,  body  and  soul,  and  all  kinds 
of  nourishment,  in  fruits,  grain,  corn,  wine,  and 
all  that  is  needful  and  useful  to  preserve  his  tem- 
poral life. 

And,  besides.  He  gives  us  His  good  Word  ; 
yes.  Himself 

What  return  is  rendered  to  Him  t  Nothing 
else,  but  that  He  is  blasphemed,  and  set  at 
naught  ;  yea,  His  dear  Son  grievously  scorned, 
mocked,  and  hung  on   the   cross  ;  and  His  ser- 


l8o  WORDS  FOR  THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

vants  plagued,  hunted  down,  and  slain.  This 
is  our  gratitude  to  Him  for  having  created,  re- 
deemed, nourished,  and  preserved  us. 

IF  God  were  to  say  to  the  Pope,  the  Emperor, 
kings,  princes,  bishops,  do6lors,  rich  mer- 
chants, burghers,  and  farmers,  "  Thou  shalt  die 
this  very  day,  unless  thou  give  Me  a  hundred 
thousand  florins,"  every  one  would  say,  "  Yes, 
with  all  my  heart,  if  I  may  only  live." 

But  now  we  are  such  thankless  creatures,  that 
we  scarce  sing  Him  a  Deo  gratias  for  the  many 
and  great  benefits  which  we  daily  receive  abun- 
dantly from  His  pure  goodness  and  mercy. 

Nevertheless,  the  gracious  Father  is  not  es- 
tranged by  this,  but  is  ever  doing  us  good.  If 
He  stinted  his  gifts,  instead  of  lavishing  and 
showering  them  on  us,  we  should  thank  Him 
more.  For  instance :  if  we  were  all  born  with 
one  leg  or  foot,  and  only  in  our  seventh  year 
received  the  second  leg ;  at  fourteen  one  hand, 
at  twenty  a  second,  we  might  recognize  more 
the  worth  of  the  gifts  for  a  time  withheld,  and 
be  more  thankful. 

WE  are  so  shamefully  perverse  that  we  are 
unthankful  for  our  present  gifts  and 
goods,  and  only  think  of  little  deficiencies.  Let 
every  one  go  home  and  count  the  gifts  which  he 
has  ;  he  will  find  far  more  gifts  than  deficiencies  ; 
and  let  him  thank  God  for  them. 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  l8l 


To  be  used  zvith  Thanksgivirig, 

WHEN  grapes,  nuts,  peaches,  etc.,  were  set 
on  the  table  after  the  meal,  and  all  were 
enjoying  them,  he  said  :  "  What  does  our  Lord 
God  on  high,  in  heaven,  say  to  our  sitting  here 
consuming  His  gifts  ?  Verily  for  this  purpose 
He  created  them,  that  we  should  use  them  ;  and 
He  asks  nothing  from  us  but  that  we  should 
acknowledge  they  are  His  gifts,  and  enjoy  them 
with  thanksgiving." 

Two  Sacrifices. 

THE  Scriptures  point  out  two  sacrifices 
which  are  well-pleasing  to  God.  The 
first  they  call  the  sacrifice  of  praise,  when  we 
teach  or  hear  God's  Word  with  faith,  and  confess 
and  spread  it,  and  thank  Him  from  our  hearts 
for  all  the  unspeakable  gifts  so  richly  given  us 
in  Christ.  "  He  who  offereth  praise,  he  honoreth 
Me." 

The  other  sacrifice  is  when  an  agonized,  trou- 
bled heart  takes  refuge  with  God,  seeks  help 
from  Him,  and  patiently  waits  for  it.  **  The  sac- 
rifices of  God  are  a  troubled  spirit.  A  broken 
and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  Thou  wilt  not 
despise." 

The  Church  a  Choir  of  Praise. 

GOD  has  created  all  creatures,  and  nourishes 
and  preserves  them  freely,   out    of  pure 


1 82  WORDS  FOR   THE  DAY'S  MARCH. 

goodness.      But  the  little  flock,  dear  Christen- 
dom, says  Him  a  Deo  Gratias  for  it. 


®n  ©btng  anir  Communicating. 

VERY  Christian  has  the  priest's  office,  and 
does  priestly  work. 

LET  us  be  liberal  and  bountiful  towards  all 
men,  and  that  without  weariness.  For  it 
is  an  easy  thing  for  a  man  to  do  good  once  or 
twice,  but  to  continue,  and  not  to  be  discouraged 
through  the  ingratitude  and  perverseness  of 
those  to  whom  he  hath  done  good,  that  is  very 
hard.  Therefore  he  doth  not  only  exhort  us  to 
do  good,  but  also  not  to  be  weary  in  doing  good. 
And  to  persuade  us  he  addeth  :  "  For  in  due 
season  we  shall  reap  if  we  faint  not."  As  if  he 
said,  "Wait  and  look  for  the  eternal  harvest  that 
is  to  come,  and  then  no  ingratitude  or  perverse 
dealing  of  men  shall  be  able  to  pluck  you  away 
from  well-doing  ;  for  in  the  harvest-time  ye  shall 
receive  most  plentiful  increase  and  fruit  of  your 
seed."  Thus,  with  most  sweet  words,  he  exhort- 
eth  the  faithful  to  the  doing  of  good  works. 

Date  and  Dabittcr. 

THERE  was  once  a  convent,  which  while  it 
gave  freely  was  rich,  but  when  it  became 
weary  of  giving  it  grew  poor.     Now,  once  upon 


SPECIAL    GRACES.  1 83 

a  time  one  came  to  this  convent  and  asked  an 
alms,  but  they  refused  him.  Then  the  beggar 
inquired  why  they  would  not  give  anything  to 
him  for  God's  sake  ?  The  porter  replied,  "  We 
are  poor."  Thereupon  the  beggar  said,  "  The 
cause  of  your  poverty  is,  that  once  you  had  two 
brothers  in  the  convent,  but  one  of  these  ye  have 
cast  out,  and  the  other  has  secretly  crept  after 
him,  and  is  gone  too.  For  when  Brother  Date  is 
set  at  naught,  then  Brother  Dabitur  also  departs. 

Hoping  for  Nothing  again. 

A  PERSON  was  once  excusing  himself  by 
saying  "  he  would  gladly  help  and  serve 
people,  and  do  them  good,  but  their  ingratitude 
repelled  him." 

Then  Dr.  Martin  Luther  said,  "  Benefits  and 
kindnesses  should  be  conferred  secretly,  not 
with  a  view  to  fame  ;  quietly  and  without  seeking 
our  own  enjoyment,  for  God's  sake,  and  for  our 
neighbor's  good." 

THERE  are  three  kinds  of  alms  :  first,  that 
we  give  something  towards  the  main- 
tenance of  the  office  of  the  preacher.  Secondly, 
to  relieve  our  poor  friends  and  kindred.  Thirdly, 
to  help  strangers,  and  those  who  live  near  us,  or 
any  who  need  our  aid,  and  cannot  live  without 
the  help  of  others. 


T 


HE  noble  Word  brings  naturally  with  it  a 
burning  hunger  and  an  insatiable    thirst, 


1 84  WORDS  FOR  THE  DA  Y'S  MARCH. 

SO  that  we  cannot  be  satisfied  even  if  thousands 
beheve  in  it,  but  still  long  that  no  human  crea- 
ture may  lack  it. 

Such  a  thirst  suffers  us  not  to  rest,  but  impels 
us  to  speak  (as  David  says,  "  I  believed,  there- 
fore have  I  spoken."  And  St.  Paul,  "  We  hav- 
ing received  the  same  spirit  of  faith,  therefore 
we  also  speak"),  until  we  would  press  the  whole 
world  to  our  hearts,  and  incorporate  every  one 
with  us,  and  make,  if  possible,  one  Bread  and  one 
Body  of  all. 

But  not  only  does  this  thirst  fall  short  of  its 
longings  ;  men  still  it  with  gall  and  vinegar,  as 
with  Christ  on  the  cross. 

Such  a  thirst  had  St.  Paul  when  he  wished 
^that  "  every  one  were  even  as  he,  except  these 
bonds  ;"  when  he  wished  to  be  "banished  from 
Christ  for  his  brethren's  sake." 

Such  a  thirst  for  the  salvation  of  your  breth- 
ren have  ye  now  received,  sure  token  of  a 
faith  sound  at  the  root.  What  remains  then 
but  that  ye  also  must  await  the  vinegar  and  the 
gall  .-*  that  is,  calumny,  shame,  persecution,  as 
the  reward  of  this  your  Christian  speaking. 

How  Lttt her  gave, 

TO    HIS    WIFE,   ON    A  SERVANT  LEAVING  THEIR  SERVICE. 

SINCE    Johannes    is  going  away,   I   will  do 
all    I    can    that    he    may    leave    me    well 
cared  for.     For  thou  knowest  how  faithfully  and 


SPECIAL    GRACES.  1 85 

diligently  he  has  served,  and  truly  demeaned 
himself  humbly,  according  to  the  Gospel,  and 
has  done  and  suffered  all  things. 

Therefore  think  how  often  we  have  given  gifts 
to  good-for-nothing  people,  and  to  ungrateful 
students,  on  whom  all  was  wasted  ;  so  look 
around  thee  now,  and  see  that  such  a  good  fel- 
low lacks  nothing ;  for  thou  knowest  it  will  be 
well  spent  and  pleasing  to  God. 

I  know  well  there  is  but  little  to  spare  ;  but 
I  would  gladly  give  him  ten  florins  if  I  had 
them.  Less  than  five  florins  thou  must  not  give 
him,  for  he  has  no  stock  of  clothes.  What  thou 
canst  give  more,  give,  I  pray  thee.  The  com- 
mon fund  might  present  something  for  my  sake 
to  such  a  servant  of  mine,  seeing  that  I  have  to 
keep  my  servants  at  my  own  cost,  for  the  service 
and  use  of  their  church.  But  as  they  will.  At 
all  events  be  thou  sure  not  to  fail,  as  long  as 
there  is  a  silver  tankard  left.  Think  how  thou 
canst  provide  it.  God  will  surely  give  us  more ; 
that  I  know. 

AGAIN,  "  To  him  who  gives  willingly  it  shall 
be  given."  Therefore,  dear  Kathe,  when 
we  have  no  more  money,  we  must  give  the  silver 
tankards. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTHER  went  once, 
with  Dr.  Jonas,  Master  Veit  Dietrich,  and 
others  of  his  guests,  to  walk  in  the  little  town 


1 86     WORDS  FOR  THE  DA  Y'S  MARCH. 

of  Tessen.  There  Doctor  Martin  Luther  gave 
ahns  to  the  poor.  Then  Dr.  Jonas  also  gave 
something,  and  said,  "  Who  knows  when  God  will 
repay  me  ? "  Thereupon  Dr.  Martin  Luther  said, 
laughing,  "Just  as  if  God  had  not  first  given 
it  to  you.  Freely  and  simply  should  we  give, 
from  mere  love,  willingly." 

Luther  s  Theology  in  his  Seal, 

TO    LAZARUS    SPENGLER. 

SINCE  you  wish  to  know  about  the  device 
for  my  seal,  I  will  send  you  my  first 
thoughts,  which  I  would  have  my  seal  express, 
as  a  sign  and  token  of  my  theology. 

First,  there  shall  be  a  cross,  black,  in  a  heart 
which  shall  have  its  natural  color,  that  thereby 
I  may  remind  myself  that  faith  in  the  Crucified 
saves  us.  For  if  a  man  believes  from  the  heart 
he  is  justified. 

But  although  it  is  a  black  cross,  because  it 
mortifies,  and  must  also  cause  pain,  yet  it  leaves 
the  heart  its  own  color ;  that  is,  destroying  not 
its  nature  ;  not  killing,  but  preserving  alive.  For 
the  just  shall  live  by  faith,  but  by  the  faith  of 
the  Crucified. 

Moreover,  this  heart  shall  be  set  in  the  midst 
of  a  white  rose,  to  show  that  faith  gives  joy,  con- 
solation, and  peace,  and  sets  the  heart  as  in  a 
white  festive  rose.  Yet  not  as  the  world  gives 
peace  and  joy  ;  therefore  shall  the  rose  be  white. 


SPECIAL  GRACES.  IS/ 

and  not  red.  For  white  is  the  color  of  angels  and 
of  spirits. 

The  rose  is  set  in  a  sky-blue  field  ;  because 
such  joy  in  the  spirit  and  in  faith  is  a  beginning 
of  the  heavenly  future  joy — is  indeed  enfolded 
therein,  and  embraced  by  hope,  but  not  yet  mani- 
fest. 

And  in  this  field  shall  be  a  golden  ring,  be- 
cause this  blessedness  endures  eternally  in  hea- 
ven, and  has  no  end,  and  is  precious  above  all 
joy  and  all  riches,  as  gold  is  the  highest  and 
most  precious  of  metals. 

Christ,  our  dear  Lord,  be  with  your  spirit  until 
that  life.     Amen. 


iPait  Efjirtr. 


WORDS   FOR   THE   HALTING-PLACES. 


WORDS    FOR  THE    HALT- 
ING-PLACES. 


I. 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION. 

GOD  writes  the  Gospel,  not    in    the    Bible 
alone,  but  on  trees,  and  flowers,  and  clouds, 
and  stars. 


Creation  the   Veil  of  God. 

ALL     creatures    are    merely    shells,    masks 
(Larven),  behind  which  God  hides   Him- 
self, and  deals  with  us. 


GOD  dealeth  not  with  us  in  this  life  face 
to  face,  but  veiled  in  shadows  from  us. 
"  Now,  through  a  glass  darkly  ;  but  then,  face  to 
face." 

Therefore  we  cannot  be  without  veils  in  this 
life.     But  in  this  wisdom  is  required,  which  can 


192        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES, 

discern  the  veil  from  God  Himself ;    which  wis- 
dom the  world  hath  not. 

The  covetous  man  heareth,  indeed,  that  "  man 
liveth  not  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God  ;"  he  eateth 
the  bread,  but  seeth  not  God  in  the  bread,  for  he 
beholdeth  only  the  veil,  and  outward  show.  So 
he  doth  with  gold  and  other  creatures,  trusting 
to  them  as  long  as  he  has  them  ;  but  when  they 
leave  him  he  despaireth. 

GOD  has  set  the  type  of  marriage  everywhere 
throughout  the  creation.  Each  creature 
seeks  its  perfe61ion  in  another.  The  very  hea- 
vens and  earth  pi6ture  it  to  us. 

THAT  marriage  is  marriage ;  the  hand  a 
hand  ;  wealth,  wealth — that  all  can  un- 
derstand ;  but  to  believe  that  the  marriage  state 
is  God's  order  ;  the  hand  God's  creature  ;  good 
clothing  and  riches  His  gift — it  is  God's  work 
when  men  understand  this. 

Miracles  in  Com7non  Things, 
E  foolish  creatures  cannot  comprehend 
with  our  reason  how  it  is  that  we  speak 
with  our  mouths,  and  whence  the  word  comes, 
so  that  the  voice  of  one  man  sounds  in  so  many 
thousand  ears  ;  neither  can  we  comprehend  how 
our  eyes  see,  nor  how  the  bread  and  wine  are 
changed  into  blood  and  muscle  ;  nor  how,  when 
we  sleep,  as  to  the  body  we  are  dead,  and  never- 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  193 

theless  we  live.  And  yet  we  seek  to  climb 
above  ourselves,  and  to  speculate  about  the  high 
majesty  of  God,  when  we  do  not  understand 
what  is  happening  every  day  around  us. 

REASON  cannot  understand  nor  grasp  how 
it  is  that  of  a  little  kernel  comes  a  tree  ; 
how  of  a  little  grain  of  corn,  which  corrupts  in 
the  earth  and  perishes,  twenty  or  thirty  grains 
should  spring  to  life. 

Therefore  the  world  is  full  of  God's  miracles, 
which  happen  without  ceasing.  But  because 
they  are  so  countless  and  so  manifold,  and  more- 
over so  altogether  common,  as  says  St.  Augus- 
tin,  we  do  not  regard  them  nor  think  of  them. 

Christ  once  fed  five  thousand  men,  not  count- 
ing the  women  and  children,  with  five  loaves,  and 
when  they  had  all  had  enough,  there  remained 
over  and  above  twelve  baskets  full.  If  such  a 
miracle  happened  now,  all  the  world  would  won- 
der. 

But  that  God  is  daily,  without  ceasing,  working 
great  miracles,  the  fleshly  heart  sees  and  regards 
not ;  far  less  will  it  wonder  and  give  thanks. 

God  the  Lord  gives  daily  water  from  the  rocks  ; 
bread  from  the  sand  ;  wine,  beer,  butter,  cheese, 
and  vegetables  of  all  kinds  from  the  earth.  But 
because  He  gives  them  lavishly,  without  ceasing, 
no  one  holds  it  to  be  a  miracle. 

The  blind  world,  forgetting  Him,  thinks  all 
comes  by  chance.     But  on  the  other  hand  those 

9 


194        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

who  love  Him,  whithersoever  they  turn  their 
eyes,  whether  they  look  on  the  heavens  or  the 
earth,  the  air  or  the  water,  see  pure,  obvious  mir- 
acles of  God,  whereat  they  rapturously  rejoice, 
and  cannot  enough  wonder  ;  have  gladness  and 
delight  therein,  and  praise  the  Creator,  and  know 
that  He  also  has,  delight  in  them. 

THE  whole  world  is  full  of  miracles,  but  our 
eyes  must  be  pure,  lest,  because  they  are 
so  common  to  us,  they  become  dim. 

IN  brief,  in  all,  even  in  the  smallest  creatures, 
yea,  even  in  their  least  members,  we  see  the 
almighty  power  and  the  great  wonder-working 
of  God.  For  what  man,  however  powerful,  wise, 
and  holy  he  be,  can  out  of  a  fig  make  a  fig-tree, 
or  even  one  other  fig  .?  or  out  of  a  cherry-stone  a 
cherry-tree,  or  even  understand  how  God  does  it } 

NO  man  can  think  out,  or  truly  understand 
what  God  has  done,  and  still  ceaselessly 
is  doing.  Nor,  if  we  sweat  blood  for  it,  could  we 
write  three  lines  such  as  St.  John  has  written. 


T 
G 


HE  growth  of  every  seed  is  a  work  of  crea- 
tion. 

OD  is  constantly  making  visible  things  out 
of  invisible,  and  would  fain  have  us  do  the 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  1 95 

same.     But  we  reverse  His  way,  and  must  needs 
see  and  grasp  a  thing  before  we  will  believe  it. 

The  Creattircs  God's  Army. 

ALL  the  creatures  are  God's  Host  or  Army. 
I  have  purposely  kept  the  word  Exercitiis, 
army,  as  it  stands  in  the  Hebrew,  to  defy 
the  devil,  who  is  forever  striving  with  all  his 
powers,  and  in  all  kinds  of  ways,  to  hinder  all  the 
creatures  in  accomplishing  the  work  for  which 
God  created  them. 

Flozvers, 

THE  world,  since  Adam's  Fall,  knows  neither 
God  her  Creator,  nor  His  creatures  ;  lives 
a  life  poorer  than  that  of  the  cattle,  honors- not 
God,  nor  glorifies  Him.  Ah,  if  Adam  had  not 
sinned,  how  man  would  have  recognized  God  in 
all  the  creatures,  would  have  praised  and  loved 
Him,  so  that  even  in  the  smallest  flower  he  would 
have  seen  and  contemplated  God's  almightiness, 
wisdom,  and  goodness. 

For  truly  who  can  think  to  the  bottom  of  this, 
how  God  creates  out  of  the  dry,  dull  earth  so 
many  flowers  of  such  beautiful  colors,  and  such 
sweet  perfume,  such  as  no  painter  nor  apothecary 
can  rival  ?  From  the  common  ^rround  God  is 
ever  bringing  forth  flowers,  golden,  crimson,  blue, 
brown,  and  of  all  colors.  All  this  Adam  and 
his  like  would  have  turned  to  God's  glory,  using 


196        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

all  the  creatures  with  thanksgiving.  But  we 
misuse  them  senselessly,  just  as  a  cow  or  any- 
unreasonable  brute  tramples  the  choicest  and 
fairest  flowers  and  lilies  beneath  its  feet. 


A  Green  Tree  more  gloriotis  than  Gold, 

IF  Adam  had  not  fallen,  all  the  creatures  had 
seemed  such  to  us,  that  every  tree  and 
every  blade  of  grass  had  been  better  and  nobler 
than  if  it  had  been  of  gold.  For  in  the  true 
nature  of  things,  if  we  will  rightly  consider, 
every  green  tree  is  far  more  glorious  than  if  it 
were  made  of  gold  or  silver. 

The  Sun, 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTHER  said  he 
had  observed  and  taken  notice  that  the 
sun  for  the  two  last  days  had  risen  as  if  with  a 
bound  of  joy.  "  He  rejoiceth  as  a  hero  to  run  a 
race."  It  is  a  beautiful  work  of  God  that  we, 
fallen  creatures,  dare  not  gaze  at  nor  fix  our  eyes 
upon. 

In  Paradise  we  could  have  gazed  on  the  sun 
with  open  eyes,  without  pain  or  hindrance. 

A  Rose. 

HE  had  a  rose  in  his  hand,  and  was  admiring 
it  as  a  fair  and  excellent  work  and  crea- 
ture of  God  ;  and  he  said,  "  If  a  man  were  able 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  197 

to  make  one  rose,  he  would  be  worthy  of  an  em- 
pire." 

The  Dew. 

I  HAD  not  known  what  a  lovely  thing  the  dew 
is,  unless  the  Holy  Scriptures  had  commended 
it,  when  God  says,  "  I  will  give  thee  of  the  dew  of 
heaven."  Ah,  the  Creation  is  a  beautiful  thing. 
When  we  ought  to  be  understanding  it,  we  lisp  and 
stammer,  and  say  "  cledo  "  for  "■  credo,"  like  the 
babes.  The  word  is  strong,  but  the  heart  lisps. 
But  our  Lord  God  knows  well  that  we  are  but 
poor  little  children,  if  we  would  only  acknowl- 
edge it. 

We  can  never  understand,  save  through  the 
Son.  This  is  the  sum  of  His  discourse,  "  Per  Me, 
per  Me,  per  Me!' 

Birds. 

SEE  !  Christ  makes  the  birds  our  masters  and 
teachers,  so  that  a  feeble  sparrow,  to  our 
great  and  perpetual  shame,  stands  in  the  Gospel 
as  a  doctor  and  preacher  to  the  wisest  of  men. 

TOWARDS  evening,  two  little  birds  who 
were  making  a  nest  in  the  Do6lor's  garden 
came  flying  thither,  but  were  now  and  then  fright- 
ened by  those  who  were  walking  there. 

Then  the  Doctor  said,  "  Ah,  thou  dear  little 
bird,  fly  not  from  me.  From  my  heart  I  wish  thee 
well,  if  thou  wouldst  only  believe  it.     Just  in  this 


iqS      words  for  the  halting-places. 

way  it  is  that  we  distrust  our  Lord,  who  neverthe- 
less gives  us  nothing  but  good.  Surely  He  will 
never  harm  us  who  has  given  His  Son  for  us. 

"  See  the  little  birds,  how  choice  and  pure 
their  way  of  life  is.  They  lay  the  eggs  so  daintily 
in  the  nest,  and  brood  over  them.  Then  the  nest- 
lings peep  out. 

"  If  we  had  never  seen  an  ^gg,  and  one  were 
brought  us  from  Calicut,  in  what  a  rapture  of 
wonder  we  should  be  about  it ! " 

NE  evening  when  he  saw  a  little  bird 
perched  on  a  tree,  to  roost  there  for  the 
night,  he  said,  "  This  little  bird  has  had  its  supper, 
and  now  it  is  getting  ready  to  go  to  sleep  here, 
quite  secure,  and  content,  never  troubling  itself 
what  its  food  will  be,  or  where  its  lodging  on  the 
morrow.  Like  David,  it  *  abides  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty.'  It  sits  on  its  little  twig  con- 
tent, and  lets  God  take  care." 

DOCTOR  LUTHER  said,  "  How  gladsome 
are  the  little  birds  ;  sing  so  deliciously  ; 
hop  from  one  branch  to  another  !  They  have  no 
anxious  cares  about  any  want  or  scarcity  that 
may  come  ;  are  so  content  in  themselves  ;  and 
sing  with  a  glad  heart  their  morning  and  their 
evening  song.  Well  might  we  take  off  our  hats 
to  them  and  say,  *  My  dear  sir  Do61or,  I  must  con- 
fess I  have  not  acquired  this  art  of  which  thou  art 
a  master !     Thou  sleepest  all  night  in  thy  little 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  1 99 

nest,  without  any  care  ;  in  the  morning  thou  risest 
again,  art  joyful  and  well  off ;  settest  thyself  on  a 
tree  and  singest  and  praisest  God  ;  seekest  after- 
ward thy  daily  food  and  findest  it.  Why  cannot 
I,  old  fool  that  I  am,  do  the  same,  when  I  have  so 
much  reason  to  do  it  ?'  Can  the  little  bird  leave  its 
cares,  and  keep  itself  in  such  fulness  of  content, 
like  a  loving  saint,  having  neither  acre  nor  barn, 
neither  larder  nor  cellar,  yet  singing  and  prais- 
ing, joyful  and  satisfied,  because  it  knows  that 
it  has  One  who  cares  for  it  ?  Why  then  cannot 
we  do  the  same,  laboring  indeed  the  while,  to 
till  the  field  and  gather  the  fruits,  and  garner 
them  against  our  need  ?  " 

NO  one  can  reckon  how  much  it  costs  only 
to  feed  the  birds,  and  even  those  which  are 
of  no  use.  I  consider  it  costs  more  to  maintain 
all  the  sparrows  for  one  year  than  the  king  of 
France's  revenues,  with  all  his  wealth,  rents,  and 
taxes.  What  shall  we  say,  then,  of  the  food  of 
all  the  other  birds,  ravens,  jackdaws,  crows, 
finches,  and  the  rest .'' 

SPARROWS  are  the  smallest  and  the  most 
dissolute  of  birds  ;  yet  they  have  the 
greatest  glory.  All  through  the  year  they  have 
the  best  days,  and  do  the  greatest  mischief  In 
the  winter  they  infest  the  granaries  ;  in  the 
spring  they  devour  the  seed  in  the  field  ;  in 
harvest-time  they  have  enough  ;  in  autumn  grapes 


200        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

and  fruits  are  their  refe6lion.     Ergo  digni  sunt 
omni  persecutione. 


The  World  our  Storehouse, 

GOD'S  power  is  great,  who  nourishes  the 
whole  world.  It  is  a  difficult  article  truly 
to  grasp,  "/  believe  in  God  tJie  Father!'  He  has 
created  a  plentiful  provision  for  us.  All  seas 
are  our  cellars  ;  all  forests  our  hunting-grounds  ; 
the  earth  is  full  of  silver  and  gold  and  countless 
fruits,  all  created  for  our  sake.  The  earth  is  our 
granary  and  our  store-chamber. 
It  is  God  who  feeds  us,  not  money. 

GOD  knows  all  handicrafts,  and  exercises 
them  in  the  most  skilful  way.  For  the 
stag,  He  makes  a  coat  to  cover  him,  which  would 
not  of  itself  wear  out  for  nine  hundred  years. 
For  the  stag's  feet  He  makes  shoes  which  last 
lonsrer  than  the  owner.  And  the  sun  is  His 
hearth-fire,  at  which  the  food  of  all  the  creatures 
is  cooked. 

I  WONDER  how  our  Lord  God  finds  wood 
for  so  many  uses  throughout  the  whole 
wide  world  ;  as  wood  for  building,  for  burning, 
for  carpenters,  for  coopers  and  wheelwrights, 
for  beams  of  chambers,  window-sashes,  oars, 
candlesticks,  cups,  buckets,  etc. 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  20I 

In  brief,  wood  is  the  most  useful  and  needful 
thing  in  the  world,  which  we  could  not  do  with- 
out. 

Cattle  preaching  to  us., 

ONE  day  when  Do6lor  Luther  saw  the  cattle 
in  the  field  going  to  pasture,  he  said, 
"  There  go  our  preachers  ;  the  carriers  of  our 
milk,  butter,  cheese,  wool,  who  daily  preach  to 
us  faith  in  God,  that  we  should  trust  Him  as  our 
Father,  that  He  will  care  for  us  and  feed  us. 

Divers  kinds  of  Beasts. 

WILD  beasts  are  beasts  of  the  Law,  for  they 
live  in  fear  and  trembling.  But  tame 
animals  are  creatures  of  grace  ;  they  live  se- 
curely with  man. 

Beauty  of  some  Creatures — their  Use, 

IT  does  not  follow  that  God  has  created  all 
plants  merely  that  they  may  furnish  food  for 
man  and  beast.  Many  things  were  created  that 
we  may  praise  God  for  them.  The  stars,  of  what 
use  are  they,  save  that  they  praise  God  their 
Creator  t 


T 


The  Stars. 

HE  science  of  the  stars  and  of  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  heavens  is  the  oldest  science 
9* 


202        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

of  all,  which  brought  many  others  with  it.  The 
ancients,  especially  the  Hebrews,  gave  earnest 
heed  to  the  movements  of  the  heavens,  as  God 
says  to  Abraham  :  "  Consider  the  stars  ;  canst 
thou  count  them  ?  "  Astronomy  is  a  beautiful 
gift  of  God,  as  long  as  she  keeps  to  her  own 
sphere  ;  but  if  she  steps  beyond  it,  and  seeks  to 
prophesy  future  things,  as  the  Astrologers  do, 
this  is  not  to  be  encouraged.  I  have  gone  so 
far  in  Astrology  that  I  believe  it  to  be  nothing. 

The  Music  of  the  Spheres. 

PYTHAGORAS  says  that  the  movements 
of  the  stars  make  a  beautiful  concert  and 
harmony,  according  with  each  other  ;  but  that 
men  through  constant  use  are  now  weary  of  this. 
It  is  indeed  so  with  us.  We  have  so  many 
beautiful  creatures  around  us  that  we  heed  them 
not,  for  their  abundance. 

All  Creatures  working  freely  according  to 
God's  Law. 

WHATEVER  a  thing  is  created  for,  it  does 
without  law  and  unconstrained.  A  tree 
brings  forth  fruit  freely  by  nature,  unconstrained. 
The  sun  shines  by  nature,  whereto  God  has 
created  it,  unbidden  and  uncompelled.  And  all 
creatures  do  of  free  will  what  they  ought  to  do. 
So  also  God  Himself  is  ever  doing  good  by  His 
nature  and  chara6ler,  freely. 


THE  VISIBLE  CREATION.  203 

Thanksgiving  for  a  T/mnder storm. 

'"nr^HAT  is  a  beautiful  storm,"  he  said  once, 
X  with  thanksgiving,  when  thunder  came 
with  a  fruitful  rain,  awakening  and  moistening 
earth  and  trees,  "  Thus  Thou  givest,  unthankful 
and  covetous  as  we  are  !  That  is  a  fruitful 
thunder  ;  it  has  touched  the  earth  and  opened 
its  treasure-house,  so  that  gives  forth  a  fragrant 
perfume,  just  as  the  prayer  of  good  Christians 
gives  forth  fragrance  to  God." 

May. 

ONCE  in  beautiful  weather  in  May,  he  said, 
"  What  a  picture  of  the  Resurre6lion ! 
See  how  the  trees  are  dressed  for  their  bridal  ! 
How  delightfully  all  is  growing  green  !  What  a 
precious  May  !  Ah,  that  we  would  only  trust 
God  !  What  will  it  be  in  the  life  beyond,  if  God 
can  show  us  such  great  delights  in  this  pil- 
grimage, and  this  troubled  life! 

Man,  not  Nature,  the  Dwelling-place  of  God. 

HEAVEN  and  earth,  with  all  castles  of  kings 
and  emperors,  could  not  make  a  dwelling- 
place  for  God,  but  in  the  man  who  keeps  His 
Word,  there  He  will  dwell. 

Isaiah  calls  the  heavens  His  throne,  and  the 
earth  His  footstool,  but  not  His  abode.  We  may 
search  long  to  find  where  God  is,  but  we  shall 


204        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

find   Him   in    those   who    hear  the    Words    of 
Christ. 

For  the  Lord  Christ  saith,  "  If  any  man  love 
Me,  he  will  keep  My  words,  and  we  will  make 
our  abode  with  him." 


II. 


THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES. 


J)erson0. 

F  Adam  had    remained  in   his   inno- 
cence,    and     had     not    transgressed 
God's  law,  he  would  not  always  have 
remained  in  the  same  state  in  Para- 
dise. 

What  a  fair,  glorious  creature  man  had  been, 
adorned  with  all  wisdom  and  knowledge !  He 
would  have  had  joy  and  pleasure  from  all  crea- 
tures, and  what  fair,  joyous  changes  and  trans- 
formations there  would  have  been  in  all  things. 

He  would  have  been  received  into  eternal  joy 
and  into  heaven,  not  through  death,  but  through 
transformation  and  translation  into  another  life. 


E 


VE,  the  dear,  holy  mother,  had  good  hope 
of  Cain ;  was    persuaded    (it  seems)  that 


206        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

he  was  the  seed  of  the  woman  which  was  to 
bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent. 

But  the  dear  mother  was  mistaken  ;  she  had 
not  yet  fathomed  her  misery — knew  not  that 
"  what  is  born  of  flesh  is  flesh  ; "  she  erred  as 
to  the  time  when  this  Blessed  Seed,  conceived 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  be  born  to  the  world 
of  the  Virgin  Mary. 

Eve. 

WHEN  Eve,  his  only  companion  and  dear 
wife,  bore  Cain  to  Adam,  there  must 
have  been  great  rejoicing ;  so  when  Abel  was 
born. 

But  a  great  and  bitter  grief  and  heart-sorrow 
must  the  murder  of  Abel  have  been  ;  bitterer  to 
Adam  than  his  own  fall,  since  thereby  once  more 
he  and  his  Eve  became  hermits  on  the  earth. 

Ah  !  Adam  must  have  been  a  sorrowful  man  ; 
our  sufferings  are  child's  play  to  his  suffering 
and  heart-sorrow. 

If,  through  God's  grace,  he  had  not  been  of  so 
good  and  strong  a  nature,  he  with  his  Eve  must 
soon  have  died  of  sorrow.  But  the  promise  of 
the  Seed  of  the  woman  comforted  them. 

The  Early  Patriarchs, 

IT  were  worth  a  world  to  have  the  legends  of 
the  Patriarchs  who  lived  before  the  flood  ; 
to  know  how  they  lived  and  preached,  and  what 
they  preached. 


THE  HOL  V  SCRIPTURES.  20/ 

Our  Lord  God  must,  have  thought,  "  I  will  bury 
these  lesfends  beneath  the  flood,  for  those  who 
come  after  will  heed  them  little,  and  understand 
them  less.  I  will  keep  them  until  they  meet 
each  other  in  the  other  life." 

So  the  dear  Fathers  who  came  after  the  flood, 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  also  the  Prophets  and 
Apostles,  whom  the  devil  did  not  leave  unas- 
sailed  in  this  life,  will  have  comforted  themselves 
with  thinking  of  the  long  delay  of  the  earlier 
Patriarchs,  and  will  have  said,  "  I  have  a  short 
time  to  reckon  on  compared  with  those  before 
the  flood  ;  few  years  wherein  to  spread  God's 
Word,  and  to  suffer  my  cross  and  pain.  What 
is  my  time  compared  with  the  unspeakable  toil 
and  labor,  anguish,  suffering,  and  vexation  of  our 
dear  fathers  of  old,  who  suffered  and  endured 
seven  or  eight  hundred  years,  both  from  the  devil 
and  the  world  1 " 

Esau  and  Is/imael. 

HE  said,  "The  reje6lion  and  casting  away 
was  only  temporal.  For  Esau's  hatred 
to  Jacob  his  brother  lasted  only  for  a  time,  not 
always.  And  I  believe  that  Ishmael  and  Esau 
were  saved  ;  for  many  among  those  nations 
received  the  Word  of  God." 


J 


7ob. 
OB  had  much  temptation  even  from  his  own 
friends,  who  pressed  hard  on  him  ;  therefore 


208        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

it  stands  in  the  text  that  his  friends  were  angry 
with  him.  He  made  answer  to  them,  "  I  know 
that  I  am  no  adulterer,  murderer,  nor  thief." 
When  he  said  that,  they  were  angry  with  him, 
and  vexed  him  sore.  He,  however,  suffered  them 
to  chatter  on,  and  was  silent. 

Job  is  an  example  of  God's  goodness  and 
mercy ;  for  holy  he  indeed  is,  but  in  temptation 
he  fell  much,  yet  he  was  not  forsaken,  for  he  is 
rescued  and  delivered  again  by  God's  mercy. 

Moses  and  Aaro7i. 

WHEN  God  has  something  great  to  accom- 
plish. He  begins  the  work  through  one 
man,  and  afterwards  gives  other  helps,  as  with 
Moses  and  Aaron. 


jfephthali  s  Vow. 

JEPHTHAH,  although  the  Spirit  had  come 
upon  him,  made  a  foolish  and  superstitious 
vow,  after  he  gained  the  vi6lory,  that  he  would 
sacrifice  his  own  daughter.  If  there  had  been  a 
godly  and  reasonable  man  present,  he  could  have 
made  him  sensible  of  the  folly  of  this  vow,  and 
have  said,  "  Jephthah !  thou  shalt  not  slay  thy 
daughter  on  account  of  thy  foolish  vow.  For 
the  law  concerning  vows  must  be  interpreted 
according  to  justice  and  fitness,  not  according  to 
the  letter." 


THE  HOL  Y  SCRIPTURES.  209 

David, 

THERE  never  was  a  man  who  suffered  more 
than  David.  His  life  is  a  true  tragedy. 
There  is  nothing  Hke  it  among  the  Greeks. 

We  are  all  poor  schoolboys  compared  with 
him  ;  we  have  indeed  the  same  spirit,  but  no- 
where are  such  gifts  as  his  were. 

He  was  a  great  rhetorician.  He  could  weave 
one  subje6l  into  a  vast  web,  with  words,  as  in 
the  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Psalm.  He  could 
be  brief,  and  embrace  all  religion  and  do6lrine  in 
one  Psalm,  as  in  the  Hundred  and  Tenth. 

Elijah, 

IT  is  a  terrible  history,  that  of  Elijah,  that 
such  a  holy  man  prayed  that  it  should  not 
rain  for  such  a  long  time.  He  must  have  been 
very  indignant,  because  he  saw  the  teachers  of 
the  people  slain,  and  good  godly  men  hunted 
down  and  persecuted. 

Tlie  Prophets. 

HE  was  asked  about  the  mode  of  revelation 
to  the  Prophets,  who  always  say,  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,"  whether  God  had  spoken  per- 
sonally to  them  or  not. 

He  said,  "  They  were  very  holy,  spiritual, 
diligent  men,  who  meditated  earnestly  on  holy 
things.     Therefore  God  spoke  to  them  in  their 


2IO        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

hearts    and    consciences,  and    the   prophets  re- 
ceived it  as  a  sure  revelation. 

Pilate. 

"TDILATE  is  a  better  man  than  any  of  the 
Jl  princes  of  the  Empire  who  are  not  Evan- 
geHcal,"  said  Dr.  Martin  Luther.  "  He  kept 
firmly  to  the  Roman  rights  and  laws,  affirming 
that  he  could  not  suffer  an  innocent  man  to  be 
ruined  and  put  to  death,  his  cause  unheard,  con- 
vi6led  of  no  one  evil  deed.  Therefore  he  tried 
all  honorable  methods  to  set  Christ  free.  But 
when  they  spoke  to  him  of  the  displeasure  of 
Caesar,  he  was  carried  away,  and  let  the  Roman 
laws  and  rights  go.  For  he  thought,  *  It  is  only 
one  man,  poor  and  despised  ;  no  one  will  take 
his  cause  up  ;  what  harm  can  his  death  do  me } 
It  is  better  that  one  should  die,  than  that  the 
whole  nation  should  be  set  against  me.'" 

Then  Master  Johann  Mathesius  said  to  Dr. 
Martin  Luther,  he  had  known  two  preachers  who 
had  hotly  debated  these  two  questions :  why 
Pilate  scourged  Christ  ?  and  why  he  said,  "  What 
is  truth  .? "  For  one  said  Pilate  had  done  it  from 
compassion  ;  the  other,  from  tyranny  and  scorn. 
Dr.  Martin  Luther  answered:  "Pilate  was  a 
kindly  man  of  the  world,  and  he  scourged  Christ 
from  compassion,  that  he  might  thereby  quiet 
the  insatiable  rage  and  fury  of  the  Jews.  And 
by  his  saying  to  Christ,  *  What  is  truth  }  '  he 
gave  to  understand  as  much  as  this  :    '  Why  wilt 


THE  HOL  V  SCRIPTURES.  2 1 1 

thou  dispute  about  truth,  in  this  wretched  life 
here  in  the  world  ?  It  is  worth  nothing  ;  but 
thou  wilt  be  thinking  about  wretched  disputes, 
and  questions  of  the  jurists,  or  thou  mightest 
be  set  free.'" 

WHEN  Pilate  asked  Him,  "Art  Thou  the 
king  of  the  Jews  ?  "— "  Yes,"  He  said,  "  I 
am,  but  not  such  a  king  as  Coesar  ;  else  would 
my  servants  and  soldiers  fight  for  me,  to  set  me 
free  ;  but  I  am  a  king  sent  to  preach  the  Glad 
Tidings,  that  I  might  bear  witness  to  the  Truth." 
"  What !  "  said  Pilate,  "  If  thou  art  a  king  of  that 
kind,  and  hast  such  a  kingdom  as  this,  consisting 
in  the  word  and  the  truth,  thou  wilt  do  no  harm 
to  my  kingdom."  And  Pilate  doubtless  thought, 
"Jesus  is  a  good,  simple,  harmless  man,  who  is 
talking  about  a  kingdom  which  no  one  knows 
anything  about.  Probably  he  comes  out  of  some 
forest  or  remote  region,  is  a  simple  creature  who 
knows  nothing  of  the  world,  or  its  government." 

yudas  Iscariot, 

JUDAS,"  said  Dr.  Martin,  "  is  as  necessary 
among  the  Apostles  as  three  of  the  other 
Apostles.  He  solves  countless  questions  and 
arguments.  For  instance,  when  they  cast  at  us 
that  there  are  many  false  brethren,  and  bad,  un- 
christian men  amongst  us."  True  !  Judas  also 
was  an  Apostle  ;  and  no  doubt  he  condu6led 
himself  as  a   more   prudent   man  of  the   world 


2  1 2        WORDS  FOR  THE  HAL  TING-PL  A  CES. 

than  the  rest.     No  one  dete6led  anything  amiss 
in  him. 

Grace  does. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  said  one  evening  when 
he  was  at  Lochau :  "  Oh !  how  I  should 
Hke  to  have  been  once  with  the  Lord  Christ  when 
He  was  rejoicing ! " 

The  Trmmphal  Entry, 

THE  entry  of  the  Lord  Christ  into  Jerusalem 
must  have  been  indeed  a  poor,  mean,  and 
beggarly  entry,  for  Christ  the  great  and  mighty 
King  sits  on  a  poor  borrowed  ass.  For  John 
clearly  shows  that  such  asses  were  meant  for 
poor  people,  who  might  use  them  in  their  need 
without  paying  any  hire.  The  garments  which 
the  disciples  laid  thereon  were  His  saddle.  Yet 
it  was  a  wonderful  entry,  according  to  the  pro- 
phecy of  Zachariah. 

For  when  He  came  from  Bethany  to  Bethphage 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  which  must  have  been 
as  near  Jerusalem  as  the  bridge  over  the  Elbe  is 
to  this  town  (Wittenberg),  after  he  had  awaken- 
ed Lazarus  from  the  dead,  and  a  great  multitude 
of  people  went  before  and  followed,  shouting  and 
exulting.  He  sent  His  disciples  to  fetch  the  ass, 
and  would  ride  on  it,  that  the  prophecy  might  be 
fulfilled. 

I  hold,  however,  that  Christ  Himself  did  not 
bring  forward  the  prophecy,  but  the  Apostles  and 


THE  HOL  V  SCRIPTURES.  2 1 3 

Evangelists.  Christ,  meantime,  preached  and 
wept  ;  but  the  people  did  Him  honor,  with  olive 
and  palm  branches,  which  are  signs  of  peace  and 
vi6lory. 

The  Personal  Appearance  of  St.  Paul. 

ONCE  Magister  Veit  Dietrich  asked  him, 
"  What  kind  of  a  person,  Herr  Do6lor,  do 
you  think  St.  Paul  was  } "  The  Do6lor  said,  "  I 
think  Paul  must  have  been  an  insignificant-look- 
ing person,  with  no  presence  ;  a  poor,  dry  little 
man,  like  Master  Philip." 


T 


Books  of  tl]c  I5^^ls  Scriptures. 

HE  first  chapter  of  Genesis  comprehends 
the  whole  Scriptures. 


IN    Deuteronomy   God  has    placed  the   most 
beautiful  rules  and    laws     for    the    govern- 
ment of  the  world. 

IN  the  Book  of  Judges  the  excellent  heroes 
and  deliverers  sent  by  God  are  depidled, 
who  began  and  carried  on  all  their  works  in  trust 
in  God,  according  to  the  First  Commandment. 


T 


HE  Books  of  the  Kings  go  a  hundred  thou- 
sand steps  before  him  who  wrote  the 
Chronicles,  for  he  only  points  out  the  substance 
and  the  most  remarkable  passages  and  histories, 


214        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

and  passes  by  what  is  simple  and  small.  There- 
fore more  honor  is  to  be  given  to  the  Book  of 
the  Kings  than  to  the  Chronicles. 

ECCLESIASTES  is  a  very  good  and  plea- 
sant Book,  although  it  is  a  fragment  ;  it 
wants  boots  and  spurs,  and  rides  in  sandals,  as  I 
used  when  in  the  cloister.  It  has  many  a  fine 
rule  for  domestic  government.  It  is  like  a 
Talmud,  compiled  from  many  books,  perhaps 
from  the  library  of  Ptolemy  Euergetes  in  Egypt. 

SO  also  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon  were  col- 
le6led  by  others  from  the  mouth  of  the 
king,  perhaps  as  he  sate  at  table  or  elsewhere, 
and  brought  together. 

The  Psalms, 

AS  this  sweet  book  of  David  continued  to  be 
sung  in  all  our  churches,  and  to  be  chant- 
ed over  so  many  thousand  times  in  these  inces- 
sant rounds  and  forms  of  prayer, — even  by  this 
frigid  use  of  the  Psalms  some  small  savor  of  life 
was  diffused  abroad  among  many  that  were  of  an 
honest  and  good  heart ;  and  from  these  words  them- 
selves only,  those  that  feared  God  drank  in  some 
little  sweetness  of  the  breath  of  life,  and  some 
small  taste  of  consolation,  like  the  faint  fragrance 
that  is  to  be  found  in  the  air  that  is  not  far  from 
a  bed  of  roses.  Their  experience  was  like  also 
unto  a  simple  man  passing  through  a  flowery  and 


THE  HOL  V  SCRIPTURES.  2 1  5 

sweet-smelling  meadow,  who,  though  he  knew 
not  the  peculiar  nature  and  properties  of  the 
herbs  and  flowers,  yet  found  his  senses  regaled 
with  the  general  fragrance. 

IF  all  the  greatest  excellences  and  most  choice 
experiences  of  all  the  true  Saints  should  be 
gathered  from  the  whole  Church  since  it  has  ex- 
isted, and  should  be  condensed  into  the  focus  of 
one  book — if  God,  I  say,  should  permit  any  most 
spiritual  and  gifted  man  to  form  and  concentrate 
such  a  book — such  a  book  would  be  what  the 
Book  of  Psalms  is,  or  like  unto  it.  For  in  the 
Book  of  Psalms  we  have  not  the  life  of  one  of  the 
Saints  only,  but  we  have  the  experience  of  Christ 
Himself,  the  head  of  all  the  Saints. 

So  that  you  may  truly  call  the  Book  of  Psalms 
a  little  Bible.  Be  assured  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
Himself  has  written  and  handed  down  to  us  this 
Book  of  Psalms  as  a  Liturgy,  in  the  same  way  as 
a  father  would  give  a  book  to  his  children.  He 
Himself  has  drawn  up  this  manual  for  His  disci- 
ples ;  having  colle6led,  as  it  were,  the  lives,  groans, 
and  experiences  of  many  thousands,  whose  hearts 
He  alone  sees  and  knows. 

ALL  other  histories  and  lives  of  the  Saints, 
which  describe  their  a61s  and  works  only, 
when  compared  to  the  Book  of  Psalms,  set  forth 
to  us  nothing  more  than  dumb  saints  ;  and 
everything  that   is  recorded  of  them  is  dull  and 


2  1 6        WORDS  FOR  THE  HA  L  TING- PL  A  CES. 

lifeless.  But  in  the  Psalms,  where  the  very  ex- 
pressions of  those  that  prayed  in  faith  are  record- 
ed, all  things  live,  all  things  breathe,  and  living 
chara61;ers  are  set  before  us  in  the  most  lively 
colors. 

THE  Psalms  record  not  the  common  and  every- 
day expressions  of  the  saints,  but  those 
ardent  and  pathetic  utterances  by  which,  in  real 
earnest,  and  under  the  very  pressure  of  tempta- 
tions, and  in  the  very  wrestlings  of  their  souls, 
they  poured  out  their  hearts  like  Jacob,  not  before 
man,  but  before  God !  The  Psalms  give  us 
therefore  not  only  the  works  and  words  of  the 
Saints,  but  the  very  hidden  treasure  of  their 
hearts'  feelings,  the  very  inmost  sensations  and 
motives  of  their  souls.  They  give  thee  not  only 
the  outward  David,  but  the  inner  David  ;  and 
that  more  descriptively  than  he  could  do  it  him- 
self, if  he  were  to  talk  with  you  face  to  face. 

There  you  may  look  into  the  hearts  of  the 
Saints,  as  into  Paradise,  or  into  the  opened  heav- 
en ;  and  may  see,  in  the  greatest  variety,  all  the 
beautiful  and  flourishing  flowers,  or  the  most 
brilliant  stars,  as  it  were,  of  their  upspringing 
afle6lions  towards  God  for  His  benefits  and 
blessinsfs. 


T 


HE  Psalms  have  this   peculiarity  of  excel- 
lence above  all  other  books  of  description, 
that  the  Saints  whose  feelings  and  sensations  are 


THE  HOL  Y  SCRIPTURES.  2- 1  / 

therein  set  forth  did  not  speak  to  the  wind,  un- 
der those  their  exercises  and  confli6ls,  nor  to  an 
earthly  friend,  but  unto  and  before  God  Himself, 
and  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  it  is  this  that 
above  all  things  gives  a  seriousness  and  reality 
to  the  feelings  ;  it  is  this  that  affedls  the  very 
bones  and  marrow,  when  a  creature  feels  itself 
speaking  in  the  very  sight  and  presence  of  its  God. 

THE  Book  of  Psalms,  therefore,  as  it  contains 
these  real  feelings  of  the  Saints,  is  a  book 
so  universally  adapted  and  useful  to  all  Chris- 
tians, that  whatever  one  that  truly  fears  God 
may  be  suffering,  or  under  what  temptation 
soever  he  may  be,  he  may  find  in  the  Psalms 
feelings  and  expressions  exactly  suited  to  his 
case,  just  as  much  so  as  if  the  Psalms  had  been 
indited  and  composed  from  his  own  personal 
experience. 

IN  a  word,  if  you  desire  to  see  the  Christian 
Church  painted  forth  in  a  most  beautiful 
pi6lure  and  in  the  most  lively  and  descriptive 
colors,  then  take  the  Psalms  into  thy  hands  ; 
this  will  be  as  a  clear  universal  mirror,  which 
will  represent  to  thee  the  whole  Church  in  its 
true  features  ;  and  if  there  be  one  that  fears  God, 
it  will  present  to  thee  a  pi6lure  of  thyself;  so 
that,  according  to  the  maxim  of  the  philoso- 
pher  of  old,  yM'^&i  tfeauTov,  thou  wilt  by  this  book 

lO 


2l8        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

come  to  a  true  knowledge  of  thyself,  and  also 
of  God  and  all  creatures. 

The  Book  of  Job, 

THE  Book  of  Job  is  a  very  good  book,  writ- 
ten not  for  his  sake  only,  but  for  the  con- 
solation of  all  troubled,  assaulted,  grieved,  suf- 
fering hearts. 

It  vexed  and  pained  him  that  things  went  so 
well  with  the  ungodly.  Therefore  this  must  be 
a  comfort  to  poor  Christians  who  suffer  and  are 
persecuted,  namely,  that  in  the  life  beyond,  God 
will  give  them  such  a  great,  glorious,  and  eternal 
inheritance,  and  here  also  will  set  a  bound  to 
their  sufferings. 

Job  did  not  speak  just  as  it  stands  written  in 
his  book,  but  he  thought  it ;  for  it  is  not  thus 
that  people  speak  in  confli6l  and  temptation  ; 
but  the  fa6l  and  marrow  of  the  thing  was  this. 

It  is  just  like  an  argnnientunt  Tabulce,  as  in 
a  drama,  in  which  various  Persons  are  brought 
on,  one  speaking  to  or  after  another,  as  it  is  in 
his  heart  ;  thus  the  Master  has  described  it ;  as 
Terence  his  comedies. 

He  intended  to  give  an  example  of  patience. 

It  is  possible  that  Solomon  wrote  this,  for  it 
is  almost  his  way  of  speaking,  as  in  others  of 
his  books. 

I  hold  it  to  have  been  a  true  history.  This 
history  of  Job  must  have  been  ancient  and  well 
known  in    the  days    of    Solomon,  if  indeed  he 


THE  HOL  V  SCRIP  TURES.  2 1 9 

undertook  to  narrate  it,  as   if  I    undertook   to 
write  the  history  of  Joseph,  or  of  Rebecca. 

The  Hebrew  poet  and  master  who  wrote  this 
book,  be  he  who  he  may,  had  himself  seen  and 
experienced  such  conflidts  and  temptations  as 
he  describes. 

DANIEL  and  Isaiah  are  the  two  most  ex- 
cellent Prophets. 

THE  preaching  of  the  Prophets  is  not  given 
whole  and  entire,  but  their  disciples  and 
hearers  took  down  from  time  to  time  one  saying 
and  another,  and  so  put  them  together.  Thus 
was  the  Bible  preserved. 


III. 

THE  FATHERS  AND  DOCTORS  OF 
THE  CHURCH. 


HE  ancient  Fathers  and  Do6lors,  as 
Augustine,  Hilary,  Ambrose,  Bona- 
ventiira,  and  others,  should  not  be 
cast  aside,  but  held  in  esteem  and 
honor.  For  we  see  in  them  that  the  Church  in 
their  days  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  believed 
as  we  do  now. 

St.  Ausfustine  was  an  excellent  teacher.  He 
taught  faithfully  of  the  grace  of  God. 

Hilary  and  Augustine  have  written  many  beau- 
tiful things  about  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  about 
justification. 

To  Bernard  Jesus  is  as  dear  as  to  any  one  in 
the  world. 


I 


Of  "  St.  John  Huss  the  Martyr^ 

N  John    Huss    the    Holy    Ghost    was    very 
powerful,  in    that  he  was  able    to  stand  so 


FA  THERS  AND  DOCTORS  OF  THE  CHURCH.    22 1 

joyfully  and  steadfastly  for  the  Word  of  God,  he 
alone  against  such  great  peoples  and  nations  ; 
Italy,  Germany,  Spain,  France,  England,  assem- 
bled at  the  Council  of  Constance. 

Against  all  this  clamor  he  stood,  and  bore  it, 
and  was  burned. 

Rome  would  not  suffer  him  to  whisper  in  a 
corner,  and  is  now  constrained  to  suffer  him  to 
cry  aloud  through  all  the  world,  until  Rome  itself 
and  the  whole  world  are  become  too  narrow  for 
that  cry,  and  nevertheless  there  is  no  end  to  it. 

Lege7ids  of  the  Saints, 

DR.  MARTIN  said  once  he  wished  much  that 
the  legends  of  the  Saints  could  be  wisely 
sele6ted  from.  There  was  much  to  learn  from 
some  of  them. 

THE  legend  of  St,  Margaret  is  an  ecclesiastical 
allegory  and  type  of  the  Church.  For  the 
Church  is  the  costly  Margarita,  the  precious 
Pearl  ;  Olybrius  the  tyrant  is  the  world,  which 
resists  the  Church,  throws  this  precious  Pearl 
Margaret  into  the  dungeon,  where  she  is  tor- 
mented and  vexed  with  many  assaults  from  the 
devil,  which  she  cannot  escape  until  she  grasps 
the  Cross — that  is,  Christ.  Thus  the  dragon  is 
driven  away  and  slain. 


D 


OCTOR    MARTIN  preached    about    St. 
Christopher  on  his  festival,  and  said  that 


222 


WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 


"  his  legend  was  not  a  history,  but  that  the  Greeks, 
as  a  wise  and  learned  and  gifted  people,  had  ima- 
gined it  to  signify  what  a  Christian  should  be, 
and  how  it  would  go  with  him.  It  is  a  beauti- 
ful Christian  poem." 

So,  also  (he  said),  is  it  with  the  legend  of  St. 
George  and  the  Dragon. 


IV. 


HEROES. 


REAT  men  and  heroes  are  especial 
gifts  of  God,  men  whom  He  gives  and 
upholds,  who  carry  on  their  work  and 
calUng,  and  do  great  deeds  ;  not  puffed 
up  with  empty  imaginings  or  droning  on  with 
cold,  sleepy  thoughts ;  but  especially  stirred  and 
driven  by  God  thereto,  they  fulfil  their  course  and 
work  ;  as  King  Alexander  gained  for  himself  the 
Persian  Empire,  and  afterwards  Julius  Caesar  the 
Roman  Empire. 

Thus  also  have  the  Prophets,  St.  Paul,  and 
other  great  and  noble  men,  done  and  fulfilled 
their  work  by  the  especial  grace  of  God,  as  the 
Book  of  Judges  shows,  wherein  we  see  how  God 
gave  great  things  with  one  man,  and  with  him 
withdrew  them. 


F 


Sijnplicity  of  Tr^ce  Heroes. 

RANK,    open-hearted    soldiers     have    few 
words— are  modest,  do  not  boast,  do  not  talk 


224         V/ORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

much ;  for  they  have  seen  men.  When  they 
speak,  the  deed  goes  with  the  word,  as  with  my 
Lord  Bernard  von  Mila.  In  his  manners  he 
was  like  a  maiden,  right  noble  man  that  he  was  ; 
he  had  much  of  the  lion  in  his  heart,  but  in 
words  was  gentle  and  unpretending. 

Grace  using^  not  destroying  Natiire. 

GRACE  does  not  altogether  change  nature, 
but  uses  it  as  it  finds  it.  For  instance,  when 
a  man  who  is  kind  and  gentle  by  nature  is  turned 
to  the  faith,  like  Nicolas  Hausmann,  grace 
makes  him  a  tender,  gentle  preacher  ;  whilst  of  a 
man  who  is  naturally  given  to  anger,  like  Con- 
rad Cordatus,  it  makes  an  earnest,  serious 
preacher  ;  whilst  if  another  has  a  subtle  and 
powerful  understanding  and  wit,  that  '  also  is 
used  for  the  benefit  of  the  people. 


T 


Princes  whom  Luther  honored, 

THE  ELECTOR  FREDERIC  OF  SAXONY. 

HE  Ele6lor  Frederic  was  a  wise,  under- 
standing, able,  and  excellent  prince,  a  great 
enemy  to  all  pomp  and  pretence  and  hypocrisy. 
A  pious.  God-fearing,  prudent  prince,  such  as 
Duke  Frederic,  Ele6lor  of  Saxony,  was,  is  a  great 
gift  of  God.  He  was  a  true  father  of  the  father- 
land. With  his  officials,  castellans,  stewards,  and 
servants  he  kept  accurate  accounts. 


HEROES.  225 

DUKE    JOHN    OF    SAXONY. 

THE  wonderful  steadfastness  of  the  Ele6lor 
John  at  the  Diet  of  Augsburg  was  greatly 
to  be  praised.  He  said  :  "  There  are  two  ways  : 
to  deny  God,  or  to  deny  the  world.  Let  each 
man  consider  which  is  the  best."  It  is  a  great 
miracle  and  grace  of  God  that  one  Ele6lor  should 
have  stood  so  firm  against  the  rest,  and  also 
against  the  Emperor. 

THE  physicians  say  Duke  John  died  of 
cramp.  As  infants  are  born  without  care, 
live  without  care,  die  without  care  ;  so  will  it 
seem  to  our  dear  prince  Duke  John  at  the  Last 
Day,  as  if  he  had  come  in  from  the  forest  after 
the  chase  ;  he  will  not  know  what  has  happened  to 
him.  As  Isaiah  says,  "  The  just  is  taken  away  ; 
he  shall  enter  into  peace  ;  they  shall  rest  on 
their  beds." 

rniLIP,    LANDGRAVE    OF    HESSE. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTHER  praised  the 
Landgrave  much,  that  he  was  a  good,  un- 
derstanding, and  merry-hearted  prince,  who  kept 
good  peace  in  his  land,  which  was  full  of  forests 
and  rocks,  so  that  the  people  could  dwell  securely 
therein,  work  and  trade.  For  if  any  one  was 
robbed  and  plundered,  instantly  he  pursued  the 

thieves    and    punished   them,  just   as  his  father 

10* 


226         WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

had  done,  who  once  restored  three  thousand 
florins  to  one  who  had  been  robbed  of  them  ;  and 
when  he  discovered  who  had  done  it,  razed  his 
castle  to  the  ground,  the  dehnquent  himself 
having  fled.  For  he  said  it  was  for  this  they 
ruled,  that  the  land  might  be  kept  pure. 

The  Landgrave  is  for  his  age  an  excellent 
prince,  who  suflers  himself  to  be  spoken  to  and 
counselled  ;  soon  yields  to  good  counsel ;  and 
when  he  has  decided,  delays  not  long,  but 
executes  with  diligence  ;  therefore  for  these 
princely  virtues  he  is  feared  by  his  adversaries. 
He  has  a  Hessian  head — cannot  be  idle  ;  must 
have  something  to  do ;  trusts  and  believes  not 
lightly. 

KAISER     MAXIMILIAN. 

ONCE  when  the  king  of  Denmark  had  sent 
a  solemn  embassy  to  Kaiser  Maximilian, 
and  the  Ambassador  claimed  such  honor  for  his 
sovereign  as  to  demand  to  give  his  message  to  the 
Emperor  sitting,  the  Emperor,  observing  it, 
stood  up  to  hear  him,  so  that,  for  shame,  the 
Ambassador  had  to  stand  also. 

On  the  other  hand,  once,  when  another  Am- 
bassador, at  the  commencement  of  his  address, 
lost  his  presence  of  mind  and  stopped  short,  the 
Emperor  began  to  speak  easily  to  him  of  other 
things,  to  give  him  time  until  he  recovered. 

Again,  once,  when  an  impudent  beggar  asked 
alms  of  the  Kaiser,  and  called  him  "  Brother,  be- 


HEROES.  227 

cause  they  were  both  children  of  one  fallen 
Adam,"  Kaiser  Maximilian  said  to  him,  "  See ! 
there  are  two  kreuzers.  Go  to  the  rest  of  thy 
brothers  ;  if  they  give  thee  as  much,  thou  wilt  be 
a  richer  man  than  I." 

Tene  inensuram  et  respice  finent  was  Kaiser 
Maximilian's  motto.  A  finer  didlum  than  Kaiser 
Karl's  Plus  ultra. 

The  Love  of  their  SubjeHs  the  true  Treasure 
of  Princes. 

PHILIP  MELANCHTHON  said  once  to 
Do6lor  Martin  Luther  at  table  that  "he 
had  heard  in  his  youth  how,  at  a  Diet,  several 
princes  had  boasted  of  the  excellences  of  their 
respe6tive  territories. 

"  The  Duke  of  Saxony  said  he  had  silver  under 
his  mountains,  and  mines  which  yielded  great 
revenues. 

"  The  Count  Palatine  praised  his  good  Rhenish 
wine. 

"  But  Duke  Eberhard  of  Wiirtemberg  said,  '  I 
am  a  poor  prince,  and  cannot  compare  myself  with 
either  of  your  graces  (Liebden)  ;  nevertheless,  I 
have  this  treasure  in  my  land,  that  w^ere  I  riding 
anywhere  therein,  alone  and  unattended,  I  could 
find  a  night's  lodging,  safe  and  welcome,  in  the 
home  of  any  of  my  subje6ls.' 

"  And  all  the  princes  held  this  to  be  the  best 
treasure  of  all." 


228         WORDS  FOR   THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

KAISER  MAXIMILIAN  said,  '^  There  were 
three  kings  in  the  world.  He  himself,  the 
Emperor  ;  the  king  of  France,  and  the  king  of 
England.  He  was  a  king  of  kings  ;  for  when  he 
required  anything  of  his  princes  which  pleased 
them  they  did  it,  and  if  not,  they  let  it  alone. 
The  king  of  France  was  a  king  of  asses,  for  all 
that  he  commanded  of  his  people  they  had  to  do, 
like  beasts  of  burden.  But  the  king  of  England 
was  a  king  of  men  ;  for  what  he  required  of 
them  they  did  willingly,  and  held  their  prince 
dear,  like  obedient  subje6ls. 


V. 


CHILDREN. 


N  the  last  day  of  September  Dr.  Mar- 
tin saw  his  little  children  sitting  at 
the  table,  and  he  said  : 

"  Christ  says,  *  Verily  I  say  tinto  you, 
except  ye  be  converted  and  become  as  little  children^ 
ye  shall  not  e?iter  the  kittgdom  of  heaven.^  He  af- 
firms it  with  an  oath  (verily).  O  my  God,  surely 
Thou  makest  it  all  too  simple  ;  to  lift  children, 
such  little  foolish  creatures,  so  high  !  How  comes 
it  that  Thou  hast  bidden  and  taught  thus,  that  a  lit- 
tle simple  child  should  be  preferred  before  a  sage  ? 
How  can  this  consist  with  our  Lord  God's  judg- 
ment and  righteousness,  which  Paul  exalts  so 
high  }  Righteousness  of  God  !  Righteousness 
of  God  !  Is  this  thy  righteousness,  that  Thou 
castest  out  the  prudent  and  receivest  babes  .-* 
The  answer  is,  '  Believe  God's  Word  and  surren- 
der thyself  Our  Lord  God  has  purer  thoughts 
than  we  men.     He  must  prune  and  polish  us,  and 


230        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

cut  away  great  branches  and  boughs,  ere  He  can 
make  us  such  children  and  babes  again. 

**  See  what  pure  thoughts  Httle  children  have ; 
how  they  look  at  heaven  and  death  without  any 
doubting.     They  are  as  if  in  Paradise." 

HIS  little  son  once  sat  at  the  table  and  lisped 
and  prattled  about  the  life  in  heaven,  and 
said  what  great  joy  there  must  be  in  heaven  with 
eating,  dancing,  etc.  There  must  be  the  great- 
est of  all  pleasures  ;  the  brooks  flowing  with 
pure  milk,  and  cakes  growing  on  the  trees.  Then 
Dr.  Martin  said,  "  The  life  of  little  children  is 
the  most  blessed  and  the  best  of  all,  for  they  have 
no  temporal  cares,  know  nothing  of  the  frightful, 
monstrous  fanaticism  in  the  Church,  suffer  no 
terror  of  death,  nor  of  hell,  have  only  joure 
thoughts  and  joyful  speculations." 

HE  was  once  playing  and  having  little  games 
with  his  little  daughter  Lenichen,  and  he 
asked  her,  "  Lenichen,  what  will  the  Holy  Christ 
bring  you  this  Christmas  1 "  and  then  he  added, 
"  Little  children  have  such  choice  thoughts  of 
God,  how  He  is  in  heaven,  and  is  their  own  dear 
Father." 

DOCTOR  MARTIN,  in  the  year  1538,  on 
the  1 7th  of  August,  heard  that  his  children 
had  been  quarrelling  with  each  other,  and  soon 
afterward  had  been  reconciled.      Then  he  said, 


CHILDREN.  231 

"  My  Lord  God,  how  well  this  life  and  these  plays 
of  the  little  ones  must  please  Thee  !  Indeed,  all 
their  sins  are  nothing  but  forgiveness  of  sins." 


DOCTOR  MARTIN  was  noticing  one  day 
how  his  little  child  of  three  years  old 
was  playing  and  prattling  to  himself,  and  he 
said,  "  This  child  is  like  one  intoxicated  ;  knows 
not  that  it  lives  ;  lives  joyfully,  without  fear  ; 
springs  and  dances  for  joy." 

ONCE  when  his  infant  son  was  brought  to 
Dr.  Martin,  and  he  kissed  and  embraced 
it,  he  said,  "  My  God,  how  dearly  Adam  must 
have  loved  Cain,  the  first-born  human  creature. 
And  afterward  he  became  a  fratricide !  O 
Adam,  woe,  woe  to  thee  ! " 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  once  would  not  suffer 
his  son  to  appear  before  him  for  three 
days,  nor  would  he  take  him  again  into  favor 
until  he  had  written,  and  humbled  himself  for  his 
fault,  and  entreated  forgiveness. 

And  when  his  mother,  Dr.  Jonas,  and  Dr.  Teut- 
leben  pleaded  for  the  boy,  he  said,  "  I  would 
rather  have  a  dead  than  an  unworthy  son.  St. 
Paul  said  a  bishop  should  be  one  that  brought 
up  his  own  children  well,  that  others  might  take 
example  thereby." 


232        WORDS  FOR  THE  HAL  TING-PL  A  CES, 

PARENTS  are    to    be    honored    above    all 
magistrates,  for  they  are  the  fountain  and 
source  of  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

I'^HE  life  and  the  faith  of  children  is  the  best, 
for  they  have  only  the  Word  ;  and  to  it  they 
hold  fast,  and  simply  give  God  the  honor  of  be- 
lieving that  He  is  truthful,  holding  what  He 
promises  for  certain. 

ANOTHER  time  he  took  his  infant  son  and 
said  to  him,  "Thou  art  our  Lord  God's 
little  babe  (Narrchen),  livest  under  His  grace 
and  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  not  under  the  Law. 
Thou  fearest  not,  feelest  safe,  and  troublest  thy- 
self about  nothing.  With  thee  all  is  unspoiled 
and  uncorrupted." 

HIS  little  son  Martin  had  a  little  dog  with 
which  he  was  playing.  Once  when  his 
■^ather  saw  it,  he  said,  *'  This  babe  preaches  the 
Word  of  God  in  word  and  deed,  for  God  says, 
'  Have  dominion  over  the  cattle.'  And  the  dog 
will  suffer  anything  from  the  child." 

WHEN  it  was  told  him  that  his  little 
daughter  of  four  years  old  often  spoke 
with  joyful  confidence  of  Christ,  of  the  dear  angels, 
and  of  eternal  joy  in  heaven,  he  once  said  to 
her,  "  Ah  !  dear  child  !  if  we  only  firmly  believe 
it !  "     Thereupon  the  little  maiden  with  anxious 


CHILDREN.  233 

looks  asked  her  father  "  If  he  did  not  beheve 
it  ?  "  And  Dr.  Martin  Luther  observed,  "  The 
dear  children  hve  in  innocence,  know  not  of  sin, 
live  without  any  anger,  avarice,  or  unbelief,  and 
are  therefore  joyful  and  of  a  good  conscience, 
fear  no  danger,  be  it  of  war,  pestilence,  or  death. 
And  what  they  hear  of  Christ  and  of  the  future 
life  they  believe  simply,  without  any  doubt,  and 
speak  joyfully  about  it.  Therefore  Christ  ear- 
nestly appeals  to  us  to  follow  their  example. 
For  the  children  really  believe,  and  therefore 
Christ  holds  little  children  and  their  childlike 
ways  dear." 


M 


Y  little  Magdalene  and  Hans  pray  effe6lu- 
ally  even  for  me  and  many  Christians. 


CHILDREN  under  seven  years  old  have  the 
most  joyful  dying.      They  have  not   yet 
learned  the  fear  of  death. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTHER  once  blessed 
one  of  his  little  children  in  its  aunt's 
arms,  and  said,  "  Go  thy  way,  and  be  good. 
Money  I  shall  not  bequeath  thee,  but  I  shall 
leave  thee  a  rich  God.     He  will  not  forsake  thee." 


p 


C/iildrcfi  should  be  iarighi  at  Ho77te. 

UBLIC  sermons  do  little  for  children  ;  they 
bring  little  from  them,  unless  in  the  school 


234        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

and  at  home  they  are  diligently  examined  as  to 
what  they  have  learned. 

"TT  rOMEN,"  he  said,  "are  eloquent  by  na- 
V  V     ture,  and  are  well  skilled  in  rhetoric,  in 
the  art  of  persuading,  which  men  have  to  learn 
and  conquer  with  great  pains." 

"TV^ATHE,"  he  said  to  his  wife,  "you  have 
Xv.  a  good  husband  who  loves  you.  You 
are  an  empress."  And  of  her  he  said  he  held 
her  dearer  than  the  kingdom  of  France,  and  the 
dukedom  of  Venice. 

HE  said  once,  "  When  women  embrace  the 
do6lrine  of  the  Gospel  they  are  far  stronger 
and  more  fervent  in  the  faith,  and  hold  it  more 
firmly  than  men,  as  we  see  in  the  good  An  as- 
tasia ;  and  Magdalene's  heart  vv^as  more  stead- 
fast than  Peter's. 

Schools. 

WHEN  schools  flourish,  all  flourishes,  and 
the  Church    remains   upright.      Schools 
preserve  the  Church. 

Pr inline^, 

PRINTING  is  siinuninn  ct postremtmi  dotmm 
through  which  God  sends  forth  the  Gospel. 
It  is  the  last  flicker  of  the  flame  before  the  ex- 


CHILDREN. 


235 


tinguishing  of  the  world.  The  world,  thank 
God,  is  near  its  end.  The  holy  Fathers  who 
have  fallen  asleep  would  have  desired  to  see 
this  day  of  the  unveiled  Gospel. 


VI. 


MUSIC. 


I     ^ 


HERE  is  no  doubt  that  many  seeds  of 
excellent  virtues  are  in  those  souls 
who  love  music  ;  but  those  who  love  it 
not,  I  hold  to  resemble  sticks  and 
stones.  For  we  know  that  music  is  hateful  and 
intolerable  to  the  demons.  And  I  fully  deem,  and 
am  not  ashamed  to  assert,  that  after  Theology 
there  is  no  art  which  can  be  compared  to  music. 
For  she  alone,  after  Theology,  produces  that  which 
otherwise  Theology  alone  can  produce,  a  glad  and 
quiet  heart.  Wherefore  the  devil,  author  of  sad 
cares,  and  of  crowds  of  disquiets,  flies  at  the  voice 
of  music,  as  he  flies  at  the  word  of  Theology. 


THE  devil  is  a  sad  spirit,  and  makes  men 
sad  ;  therefore  he  cannot  endure  cheerful- 
ness. That  is  why  he  flies  as  far  as  he  can  from 
music,  remains  not  where  there  is  singing,  espe- 


MUSIC.  237 

cially  of  hymns.     Thus  David  softened    Saul's 
temptation  by  his  harp. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  said,  in  the  year  1541, 
that  music  is  a  glorious  and  divine  gift, 
which  is  altogether  hostile  to  the  devil,  and  many 
temptations  and  desponding  cogitations  may  be 
driven  away  thereby,  for  the  devil  cannot  endure 
music. 

MUSICAL  notes  make  the  text  living. 
They  drive  away  the  spirit  of  depression. 
Some  of  the  kings,  princes,  and  nobles  must 
maintain  musicians  ;  for  it  becomes  great  poten- 
tates and  rulers  to  preserve  free,  noble  arts  and 
laws. 

MUSIC  is  the  best  refreshment  of  a  troubled 
man,  whereby  his  heart  is  again  brought 
into  peace,  invigorated,  and  refreshed. 

MUSIC  is  a  discipline,  and  a  mistress  of  order 
and  good  manners  ;  she  makes  the  people 
milder  and  gentler,  more  moral  and  more  reason- 
able. 

IN  the  year   1538,  on  the   17th  of  December, 
when    Dr.    Martin    had    the  singers  as    his 
guests,  and  they  sang  beautifully  lovely  motets 
and  pieces,  he  said  with  admiring  wonder : 
"  If  our  Lord  God  has  poured  forth  such  gifts 


238        WORDS  FOR  THE  HALTING-PLACES. 

in  this  poor  fallen  life,  what  will  it  be  in  that 
eternal  life,  where  all  will  be  the  pleasantest  and 
most  perfe6l  ?  Here  we  have  only  the  begin- 
nings." 

MUSIC  has  always  been  dear  to  me.  Who- 
ever is  capable  of  this  art,  is  of  a  good 
kind,  is  capable  of  all  things  good.  Music  must 
be  kept  up  in  schools.  A  schoolmaster  must  be 
able  to  sing,  otherwise  I  will  not  look  at  him. 
Nor  should  men  be  ordained  preachers  until 
they  have  been  well  tried  and  exercised  in  the 
school. 

ONCE  when  a  choice  motet  of  Senfl's  was 
sung.  Dr.  Martin  admired  and  praised  it 
much,  and  said,  "  I  could  not  compose  such  a 
motet,  if  I  were  to  strain  myself  to  any  extent 
to  do  it  ;  and  he  on  the  other  hand  could  not 
explain  a  Psalm  as  I  can.  Thus  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  are  manifold,  as  in  the  body  there  are 
many  members.  But  no  one  is  content  with  his 
gifts.  Each  member  wishes  to  be  the  whole  body, 
not  one  member." 

ONCE,  as  they  were  singing  the  Passion,  Dr. 
Martin  listened  attentively,  and  said, 
'"  Music  is  a  precious,  beautiful  gift  of  God.  Often 
it  has  so  awakened  and  moved  me,  that  I  have 
been  filled  with  the  desire  to  preach." 


MUSIC.  239 

MUSIC  is  a  beautiful,  glorious  gift  of  God, 
and  ranks  next  to  Theology.  The  young 
should  be  exercised  in  this  art,  for  it  makes 
capable  men. 

SINGING  is  the  best  art  and  exercise.  It  has 
nothing  to  do  with  the  world,  is  nothing  be- 
fore the  tribunals,  or  in  matters  of  strife.  Sing- 
ers are  not  anxious  and  careful  but  joyful,  and 
with  singing  drive  cares  away. 

DOCTOR  MARTIN  said  once  to  a  harper, 
"  My  friend,  play  me  a  song,  as  David  did. 
I  think,  if  David  rose  from  the  dead  now,  he 
would  wonder  to  find  how  far  we  have  advanced 
with  music.     It  was  never  better  than  now." 

WHEN  David  struck  the  harp  it  must  have 
been  like  the  Magnificat  in  the  Eighth 
Tone,  for  David  can  scarcely  have  had  a  Dcca- 
cJiordum. 

HOW  is  it  that  on  earthly  things  we  have 
many  a  fine  poem  and  carmen  ;   and  on 
spiritual  things  such  poor  cold  things  } 

WHOEVER  despises  music,  as  all  fanatics 
do,  with  him  I  am  not  content.  For 
music  is  a  gift  of  God,  not  of  man.  It  drives 
away  the  devil  and  makes  people  joyful.  Through 
music  one  forgets  all  anger,  impurity,  pride,  and 


240 


WORDS  FOR   THE  HALTING-PLACES. 


Other  vices.  Next  to  Theology  I  give  to  music 
the  highest  place  and  honor.  And  we  see  how 
David  and  all  the  Saints  have  wrought  their 
godly  thoughts  into  verse,  rhyme,  and  song,  quia 
pads  tempore  regnat  musica. 


lart  jFourtfj. 


WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 


WORDS 
FOR  THE   WOUNDED. 


I. 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS. 

Passio  optima  A5lio, 

EVER  do  we  do  more  and  in  a  holier 
way  than  when  we  know  not  how 
much  we  do. 

Never  do  we  do  worse  than  when  we 
know  what  and  how  much  we  do ;  for  it  is  im- 
possible that  we  should  not  be  pleased  with  our- 
selves. The  stain  of  glory  and  ambition  soils 
such  works,  so  that  our  praise  of  God  is  no 
longer  pure.  Idco  est  passio  optima  a6lio. 
Suffering  is  the  best  work. 


T 


The  Cross. 
HE  Cross  of  Christ  is  divided  throughout 
the   whole   world.      To  each    his  portion 


244  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

ever  comes.  Thou,  therefore,  cast  not  thy  por- 
tion from  thee,  but  rather  take  it  to  thee  as  a 
most  sacred  reHc  ;  and  lay  it  up,  not  in  a  golden 
or  silver  shrine,  but  in  a  golden  heart,  a  heart 
clothed  in  gentle  charity. 

For  if  the  wood  of  the  cross  is  so  consecrated 
by  conta6l  with  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
that  it  is  held  the  choicest  of  relics,  how  much 
more  are  persecutions,  sufferings,  and  the  unjust 
hatred  of  men  (whether  of  the  just  or  the  unjust), 
most  sacred  relics  ;  sacred  not  by  the  touch  of 
His  flesh,  but  embraced,  kissed,  blessed,  and  to 
the  utmost  consecrated  by  the  charity  of  His 
godlike  will,  and  of  His  most  loving  heart, 
whereby  the  curse  is  transformed  into  blessing, 
and  injury  into  justice,  and  suffering  into  glory, 
and  the  cross  into  joy. — 1516. 

LET  no  one  lay  on  himself  a  cross,  or  desire 
a  trial.  But  if  one  comes  on  him  let  him 
suffer  it,  and  know  absolutely  that  it  shall  be 
good  and  profitable  to  him. 

IF  tribulation  takes   all  away  from  us,  it  still 
leaves  God  ;  for  it  can  never  take  God  away. 
Nay,  indeed,  it  brings  God  to  us. 

The  Peace  of  God  under  the  Cross. 

HEALTH  and  peace  to  thee,  but  not  such 
as  are  manifest  to  the  senses  of  men,  but 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS.  245 

hidden  under  the  cross,  and  passing  all  under- 
standing in  the  Lord. 

Thou  seekest  and  cravest  peace,  but  vainly. 

For  as  the  world  giveth,  seekest  thou  ;  not  as 
Christ  giveth. 

Dost  thou  not  know  that  God  is  wonderful  in 
His  people,  and  placeth  His  peace  in  the  midst 
of  no  peace,  that  is,  of  all  temptations  }  As  it 
is  said,  *'  Reign  TJlojc  in  the  midst  of  Thine  ene- 
mies T 

Not  he,  therefore,  hath  peace  whom  none 
troubleth  ;  this  is  the  peace  of  the  world  ;  but 
he  whom  all  men  and  all  things  trouble,  yet  who 
beareth  all  these  things  quietly,  with  joy. 

Thou  sayest  with  Israel,  "  Peace,  peace,  and 
there  is  no  peace."  Say  rather  with  Christ :  The 
Cross,  the  Cross,  and  there  is  no  cross.  For 
the  cross  ceaseth  to  be  the  cross  as  soon  as 
thou  canst  contentedly  say.  Crux  benedicta,  inter 
legna  nullum  tale, 

"  Blessed  Cross,  in  all  earth's  forests 
Grows  no  other  wood  like  thine." 

See,  then,  how  faithfully  the  Lord  is  leading  thee 
to  true  peace,  who  surroundeth  thee  with  so  many 
crosses. 

It  is  called  "  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding  ;  "  that  is,  which  is  not  known 
by  feeling  or  perception,  or  thinking.  All  our 
thinking  cannot  attain  nor  understand  it ;  none 
but  those  who  of  free-will    take  up  the    Cros** 


246  WORDS  FOR  THE   WO  U AW  ED, 

laid  on  them, — these,  tried  and  troubled  in  all 
they  feel  and  think  and  understand,  afterward 
experience  this  peace.  For  all  our  feeling,  all 
our  labor,  all  our  thinking  He  has  estimated 
below  this  peace  of  His,  and  has  affixed  it  to  the 
Cross  ;  that  is,  to  many  and  disquieting  troubles. 
Thus  it  is  a  peace  above  sense  and  all  else 
that  we  pi6lure  and  desire,  indeed  better  far 
beyond  all  comparison  than  these.  Seek,  there- 
fore, this  peace  of  His,  and  thou  shalt  find.  But 
thus  shalt  thou  seek  it  best  ;  not  by  seeking  and 
choosing  a  peace  according  to  thine  own  opinion 
and  understanding,  but  by  taking  up  thy  troubles 
with  joy,  as  sacred  relics. — a.  d.  15 16. 

Chastening — Entreating, 

IF  a  father  do  sharply  corre6l  his  son,  it  is  as 
much  as  if  he  said,  "  My  son,  I  pray  thee  to  be 
a  good  child." 

It  seemeth  indeed  to  be  a  corre61ion,  but  if  you 
regard  the  father's  heart,  it  is  a  gentle  and  ear- 
nest beseeching. 

Heaviness  of  Heart, 

ST.  PAUL  confesseth  that  God  had  mercy  on 
him,  in  that  he  restored  Epaphroditus,  so 
weak  and  near  unto  death,  unto  health  again,  lest 
he  should  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow. 

Therefore,  besides  outward  temptations,  it  is 
evident  that  the  Apostles  also  suffered  great  an- 
guish, and  heaviness,  and  fear. 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS.  247 

Trial  the  Interpreter  of  Scripture. 

VEXATIO  DAT  INTELLECTUM.     Tribulation 
teaches ;  as  saith  Sirach,  "  He  who  is  not 
tried,  what  does  he  know  ? " 

None    understand    the    Scriptures  save  those 
who  prove  them  by  the  Cross. 

Our  Queer e  not  always  answered  here. 

C'^  OD  will  give  us  all  things  in  Christ,  that  He 
J   Himself  may  be  ours,  if  we  humble  our- 
selves in  true  faith  before  Him. 

But   we   will   not,  and  go  about  with  Qttcere : 
Why  God  does  this  or  suffers  that  ?     For  we  also 
would  play  our  part  in  the  game. 

The  Qucere  answered  hereafter. 

WHEN  Dr.  Martin  was  once  asked  why 
God  did  many  things  of  which  no  one 
could  find  out  the  reason  ;  "Ah !"  he  said,  "we 
have  not  power  to  understand  all  that  God  does. 
He  wills  not  that  we  should  know  all  He  pur- 
poses. As  He  said  to  Peter,  '  What  I  do  thou 
knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know  hereafter ' 
(/;/  that  joyful  Day).  Then  shall  we  first  truly 
understand  how  faithfully  and  kindly  God  has 
meant  with  us,  even  through  misfortune,  anguish, 
and  necessity.  Meantime  we  must  look  with 
sure  confidence  to  Him,  that  He  will  not  suffer 
us  to  be  really  harmed  in  body  or  soul,  but  will 


248  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

deal  with  us  so  that,  good  or  bad,  all  must  work 
for  the  best." 

£^ven  as  a  Father  the   Son    in   whom   He 
delighteth. 

GOD  deals  not  otherwise  than  a  father  with 
his  son  and  his  servant.  The  son  he  cor- 
re6ls  and  smites  far  oftener  than  the  servant,  but 
meantime  He  is  gathering  a  treasure  for  him  to 
inherit.  But  a  bad,  disobedient  servant  he  does 
not  smite  with  the  rod  ;  he  drives  him  from  the 
house,  and  gives  him  no  inheritance. 

Better  anything  from  God  than  Silence. 

"  (^\  H  my  God  !    punish  far  rather  with  pes- 
V^   tilence,  with  all  the    terrible  sicknesses 
on  earth,  with  war,  with  anything  rather  than  that 
Thou  be  silent  to  us." 

Flying  to  God  in  Sorrow,  not  from  Him, 

IT  must  at  last  come  to  this,  that  we  no  longer 
fly  from  God  as  from  an  executioner.  For 
if  we  fear  and  fly  Him,  zvith  zvhom  shall  we  take 
refuge?     If  we  lose  Him,  all  is  lost. 

ViHory  by  Submission, 

WHOEVER  can  earnestly  from  the  heart 
humble  himself  before  God,  and  acqui- 
esce in  His  chastening,  has  already  won  the  vic- 
tory.    Otherwise  our  Lord  God  would  lose  His 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS.  249 

Godhead.  He  is  merciful,  gracious,  patient,  of 
great  goodness,  and  His  own  prerogative  and 
work  it  is  to  have  pity  on  the  wretched,  to  com- 
fort the  sorrowful,  not  to  despise  the  anguished, 
smitten  heart  ;  to  help  them  to  right  that  suffer 
wrong,  to  give  grace  to  the  lowly. 

REST  IN  THE  Lord  ;  wait  patiently  for 
Him.  In  Hebrew  (said  Dr.  Luther),  be 
silent  to  God,  and  let  Him  mould  thee.  Keep 
still,  and  He  will  mould  thee  to  the  right  shape. 

David  singing  Psalms  in  Trial. 

WHEN  David  could  remedy  an  evil  he  did 
his  utmost  to  that  end  ;  but  when  he  knew 
of  no  counsel  nor  help  against  a  thing,  he  had  to 
exercise  patience ;  and  he  made  a  song  to  God 
about  it,  sang  it,  and  called  on  Him. 

David  had  worse  devils  to  contend  against 
than  we  have,  for  he  had  such  great  revelations 
as  cannot  be  had  without  great  temptations. 
David  made  Psalms  and  sang  them.  We  also, 
as  well  as  we  can,  will  make  psalms,  and  sing 
them  to  the  glory  of  our  God,  and  in  defiance 
of  the  devil  and  the  world. 

"  A  T  ^HEN  I  am  pressed  with  thoughts,"  said 
VV     Dr.    Martin  once,    "about    worldly   or 
home  cares,  I  take  a  Psalm,  or  a  saying  of  Paul, 
and  go  to  sleep  on  it." 

n* 


250  WORDS  FOR  THE   WOUNDED. 

THE  holy  Cross,  temptation,  and  persecution 
teach  the  golden  art  ;  but  flesh  and  blood 
can  never  like  them,  would  fain  have  peace  and 
ease. 

Our   Lessons  need  to  be  learned  over  and 

over. 

WHEN  one  trial  is  over,  another  soon 
comes,  against  which  we  have  to  arm 
ourselves.  And  when  the  second  comes,  we 
bear  ourselves  just  as  in  the  first,  as  if  we  had 
never  been  tried  before,  become  griev-ed  and 
distressed,  and  sink  beneath  it,  are  no  more 
learned  than  before,  although  we  have  had  ex- 
perience before.     We  soon  forget. 

Thus  the  Evangelist  rebukes  us,  saying,  "  And 
they  understood  not,  neither  remembered  the 
miracle  of  the  loaves." 

But  St.  Paul  exhorts  us  "  not  to  be  wearied  or 
faint  in  our  minds,"  when  one  trial  follows,  and 
one  billow  chases  another,  for  thus  our  flesh  is 
disciplined,  for  our  good. 

"  The  Order  of  Christr 

BARLEY  has  much  to  suffer  from  men.  For 
it  is  cast  into  the  earth,  where  it  perishes. 
Then  when  it  has  sprung  up  and  ripened  it  is  cut 
and  mown  down.  Afterward  it  is  crushed  and 
dried,  and  pressed,  fermented,  and  brewed  into 
beer. 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS.  2$  I 

Just  such  a  martyr  also  is  linen  or  flax.  When 
it  is  ripe  it  is  plucked,  steeped  in  water,  beaten, 
dried,  hacked,  spun,  and  woven  into  linen,  which 
again  is  rent  or  worn  out.  Afterwards  it  is 
made  into  plasters  for  sores  and  used  for  bind- 
ing up  wounds.  Then  it  becomes  lint,  and  is 
laid  under  the  stamping-machines  in  the  paper- 
mill,  and  torn  into  small  bits.  From  this  they 
make  paper  for  writing  and  printing. 

These  creatures,  and  many  others  like  them, 
which  are  of  great  use  to  us,  must  thus  suffer. 
So  also  must  all  good  and  godly  Christians  suf- 
fer much  from  the  ungodly  and  wicked. 

David,  for  instance,  was  a  wonderfully  gifted 
man,  and  he  had  to  be  ploughed  and  crushed. 
But  such  a  man  is  dear  to  God. 

Christ  more  compassionate  than  any  Chris- 
tian, 

SCHLAINHAUFFEN  complained  of  his 
trials,  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left. 
Dr.  Luther  said,  "That  the  devil  can  do  in  a 
masterly  way  ;  otherwise  he  were  no  devil. 
Come  to  me,  dear  friend,  to  Philip,  to  Cordatus, 
and  believe  that  we  will  surely  comfort  you  with 
God's  Word.  But  if  you  expert  good  from 
me,  what  may  you  expect  from  Christ,  who 
died  for  you  t  Ah,  if  you  would  only  look  for 
good  thus  from  Him,  who  is  a  thousand  times 
better  than  me,  or  Philip,  or  Cordatus  ! " 


252  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

A  CHRISTIAN  should  be  a  joyful  man. 
We  must  suffer  many  things  from  within  and 
from  without,  both  from  the  world  and  the  devil. 
But  let  them  pass ;  be  of  good  cheer,  call  on- 
God,  and  have  patience.  He  is  a  help  in  need, 
will  not  leave  thee  comfortless  and  helpless,  or 
suffer  thee  to  be  overwhelmed  and  ruined  in 
trial.  Trials  are  good  and  needful  for  us,  that 
God's  power  may  be  the  stronger  in  our  weakness. 
See  how  faint-hearted  the  dear  holy  patriarchs, 
prophets,  apostles  were !  What  then  could  we 
poor,  feeble  little  worms  expe6l  to  be  in  such  a 
godless  world,  when  godliness,  faith,  and  love  are 
grown  so  cold,  and  well-nigh  extinguished  t  Yet 
God  upholds  the  Church  in  a  wonderful  way. 

The  Types  set  in  this  Life  to  be  read  in  the 

Next. 

ON  the  8th  of  August,  in  the  year  1538,  Dr. 
Martin,  and  also  his  wife,  lay  sick  of  a  fever. 
Then  he  said,  "  God  has  smitten  me  rather  hard. 
I  have  also  been  impatient,  because  I  am  ex- 
hausted by  so  many  and  such  severe  illnesses. 
But  God  knows  better  what  end  it  serves  than  we 
ourselves  do.  Our  Lord  God  is  like  a  printer, 
who  sets  the  letters  backward.  We  see  and  feel 
Him  set  the  types,  but  here  we  cannot  read 
them.  When  we  are  printed  off  yonder  in  the 
life  to  come,  we  shall  read  all  clear  and  straight- 
forward.    Meantime  we  must  have  patience. 


TRIAL  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS.  253 

IT  may  be  admitted  that  Purgatory  works  in 
this  Hfe,  in  its  si)here.     True  Christians  are 
cleansed  and  purged  therein. 

THE  sicknesses  of  the  heart  are  the  true 
sicknesses,  such  as  depression,  temptations, 
etc.  I  am  a  very  Lazarus,  well  exercised  in  such 
sickness  as  this. 

WE  who  are  baptized  must  endure  and  suffer 
both  a6lively  and  passively  from  God,  who 
creates  and  works  all  in  us  ;  and  also  from  the 
devil  and  the  world,  who  will  torment  and  vex  us. 

ONCE  when  Master  George  Rorer's  children 
lay  ill,  Dr.  Martin  said,  "  Our  Lord  God  af- 
fli6ls  all  His  saints.  They  must  all  drink  of  that 
cup.  He  dealt  thus  even  with  Mary  His  mother. 
All  dear  to  Him  must  learn  to  endure.  Chris- 
tians conquer  when  they  suffer.  When  they 
resist  they  lose  the  day." 

The  Barley  and  Flax  again. 

WE  must  suffer.  For  as  the  barley  from 
which  beer  is  made,  and  the  flax  from 
which  linen  is  made,  must  suffer  much  ere  they 
are  fit  for  use,  and  the  end  is  attained  for  which 
they  are  sown,  so  must  Christians  suffer  much, 
must  be  sown,  torn  (like  flax),  crushed  and  win- 
nowed (like  corn).  For  the  slaying  of  the  old 
Adam  goes  before  the    glorifying.      If   we  are 


254  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  glory,  we  must  first 
die  and  be  slain. 

The  hicarnation  the  greatest  Co7tsolation  in 

Sorrow, 

THIS  highest  benefit  and  mystery,  that  the 
Son  of  God  condescends  to  become  man 
and  my  brother,  no  power  of  eloquence  can  utter, 
no  human  thought  can  fully  grasp. 

He  Himself  so  binds  Himself,  so  unites  Him- 
self to  me,  with  a  tie  so  close  and  enduring,  that 
no  man  on  earth,  by  the  firmest  bonds  of  the 
closest  friendship,  by  the  holiest  rights  of  the 
nearest  kindred,  could  be  related  to  me  more  truly, 
or  devoted  to  me  more  intimately.  From  Him  I 
may  and  should  expe6l  greater  things  than  from 
the  person  in  the  world  most  devoted  to  me  ; 
because  His  love  to  me  is  to  an  infinite  extent 
more  fervent  than  the  love  of  the  most  tried  and 
steadfast  friend,  than  the  love  of  brother  to 
brother,  than  any  love  on  earth. 

HE  could  rejoice  like  me.  He  could  mourn 
and  even  wonder  like  me.  Not  only  has 
He  taken  upon  Himself  the  body  but  the  soul 
of  man,  so  that  it  was  in  real  earnest  He  mar- 
velled at  the  centurion's  faith. 

There  is  no  article  of  our  Faith  that  sustains 
us  in  all  trial  like  this. 


II. 

SICKNESS. 


Christ  suffering  in  Christians, 

TO  THE   ELECTOR  FREDERIC  OF    SAXONY  IN  SICKNESS. —  1 527. 

UR  most  blessed  Saviour  and  most 
gracious  Master  has  commanded  us 
all  to  visit  the  sick,  to  set  free  those 
that  are  bound,  and  to  fulfil  all  works 
of  mercy  towards  our  neighbors.  As  Christ 
Himself,  our  Lord,  with  the  example  of  a  won- 
derful love,  to  manifest  and  prove  the  same, 
came  down  from  the  bosom  of  the  most  High 
Father,  humbled  Himself  into  our  prison,  took 
on  Himself  our  infirmities,  served  and  toiled 
for  our  sins,  as  He  says  in  Isaiah,  '*  Thou  hast 
made  Me  to  serve  with  thy  sins.  Thou  hast 
wearied  Me  with  thine  iniquities." 

And  whosoever  despiseth  this  most  dear,  fair, 
and  loving  example,  and  this  most  holy  command, 
will  surely  hear  at  the  Last  Day,  "  Depart,  ye 


256      WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

cursed,  into  everlasting  fire.  I  was  sick  and  ye 
visited  Me  not,"  as  one  perverted  by  the  basest 
ingratitude,  in  not  showing,  in  his  Uttle  measure, 
to  his  neighbor  that  which  with  so  great  a 
perfe6lion  of  mercy  he  received  from  the  Lord 
Christ. 

Therefore,  I  may  not  negle6l,  without  the  guilt 
of  such  ingratitude,  this  form  and  likeness  of 
my  Lord  Christ,  in  your  Grace's  sickness.  It  is 
to  me  as  if  I  heard  from  the  body  and  flesh  of 
your  Grace,  the  voice  of  Christ  calling  to  me 
and  saying,  "  I  am  sick."  For  it  is  not  the 
Christian  man  only  who  is  sick  when  he  is  sick, 
but  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  in  whom  the 
Christian  lives,  as  He  Himself  says,  **  In  that 
ye  did  it  to  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
did  it  unto  Me." 

To  Justus  MeniuSy 
IN  Luther's  own  sickness. — 1520. 

I  PRAY  thee,  cease  not  to  pray  for  me  and  to 
console  me  ;  for  this   agony  is  beyond  my 
strength. 

Christ  has  hitherto  been  my  faithful  Pre- 
server, neither  do  I  despair  that  such  He  will 
be  forever.  Not  only  have  I  been  sick  in  body, 
but  far  more  in  spirit,  so  does  Satan  with  his 
angels  weary  me,  by  the  permission  of  God  our 
Saviour.  Therefore  I  commend  myself  to  your 
prayers,  certain  that  the  Lord  will  hear  you,  and 
will  trample  Satan  under  our  feet.     Amen. 


SICKNESS.  257 

I  would  have  written  to  Ickelsamer,  but  the 
weakness  of  my  head  does  not  permit  me  to 
occupy  myself  with  studies  ;  but  tell  him  before 
he  asks  it,  that  I  will  know  nothing  against  him  ; 
as  also  I  will  have  compassion  on  all  my  other 
enemies,  and  will  know  nothing  against  them  ; 
even  as  I  trust  Christ  and  the  righteous  Father 
may  have  compassion  on  me,  and  will  know 
nothing  against  me. 

Zwingli  and  iEcolompadius  have  answered,  but 
I  have  not  read,  nor  can  I  read  until  I  am  re- 
stored ;  I  am  altogether  idling  and  taking  holi- 
day, as  a  languid  Lazarus  and  patient  of  Christ. 

To  Agricola. — 1527. 

SATAN  has  raged  against  me  with  all  his 
fury ;  yea,  the  Lord  has  set  me  up  before 
him  like  another  Job,  as  a  mark  ;  he  tempts  me 
with  a  marvellous  feebleness  of  spirit,  but  through 
the  prayers  of  the  saints  I  shall  not  be  left  in 
his  hands,  although  the  wounds  of  spirit  which 
I  have  received  can  with  difficulty  be  healed. 

My  hope  is  that  this  my  agony  is  for  the  sake 
of  many  ;  my  life  is  that  I  know  and  glory  that 
I  have  taught  the  Word  of  Christ  purely  and 
sincerely  for  the  salvation  of  many,  and  that 
therefore  it  is  that  Satan  burns  against  me,  and 
desires  to  see  me  submerged  and  ruined  ;  me, 
with  the  Word. 


258  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

To  comfort   his  Father   in  his    last    Sick- 
ness.— 1530. 

A   GREAT  joy  it  would    be   to  me   if  you 
would  come  to   me  with  my  mother.     My 
Kathe  also  begs  it  with  tears,  and  all  of  us. 

God  has  sealed  the  faith  in  you,  and  confirmed 
it,  with  signs  following,  namely  :  that  for  my 
sake  you  have  suffered  much  calumny,  shame, 
scorn,  mockery,  hatred,  and  danger. 

These  are  the  true  stigmata  (the  marks  of  the 
wounds),  whereby  we  must  become  like  our 
Lord  Christ. 

So  now,  in  your  weakness,  let  your  heart  be 
fresh  and  comforted  ;  for  we  have  yonder,  in  that 
life  with  God,  a  sure,  true  Helper,  Jesus  Christ, 
who  for  us  has  overcome  sin  and  death,  who  is 
sitting  there  for  us,  and  with  all  the  angels  is 
looking  upon  us,  and  is  waiting  for  us,  when  we 
journey  forth,  that  we  may  have  no  care  nor  fear 
lest  we  should  sink  or  fall.  He  has  too  great 
power  over  sin  and  death  than  that  they  should 
do  anything  to  harm  us  ;  and  He  is  so  heart-true 
and  good,  that  He  neither  can  nor  will  forsake 
us.     Only  let  lis,  without  doubting,  desire  this. 

But  if  it  is  His  divine  will  that  you  should  not 
longer  linger  away  from  that  better  life,  and 
should  no  further  suffer  with  us  in  this  troubled 
valley  of  many  sorrows,  nor  here  any  more  see 
and  hear  distress,  nor  with  all  Christians  here 


SICKNESS.  259 

help  any  longer  to  suffer  and  conquer.  He  will 
surely  give  you  grace  to  receive  all  willingly  and 
obediently. 

Herewith  I  commend  you  to  Him  who  holds 
you  dearer  than  you  hold  yourself,  and  has  shown 
you  such  love  that  He  has  taken  your  sin  on 
Himself,  and  atoned  for  it  with  His  blood,  and 
has  let  you  know  this  through  the  Gospel,  and 
has  given  you  to  believe  it  through  His  Spirit. 

Whatever  happens,  let  Him  care.  He  will 
make  all  right ;  yea,  He  has  already  done  all 
things  for  the  very  best,  better  than  we  can 
comprehend. 

The  same  our  dear  Lord  and  Saviour  be  with 
you,  and  grant  us  to  see  each  other  again  joyfully 
here  or  yonder.  *  For  our  faith  is  sure,  and  we 
doubt  not  that  we  shall  see  each  other  again 
with  Christ,  in  a  little  while,  since  the  departure 
from  this  life  to  God  is  far  less  than  if  I  parted 
from  you  and  went  from  Mansfeld  hither,  or  than 
if  you  departed  from  me  from  Wittenberg  to 
Mansfeld.  A  little  hour  of  sleep,  and  all  is 
changed. 

To  Margaret^  Princess  of  Anhalt,  in  Sickness. 

SINCE  now  your  princely  Grace  is  visited 
and  heavy-laden  with  sickness  by  our  dear 
Father  in  heaven,  who  has  made  us,  and  given 
us    soul  and   body,  and   also,  through   His  dear 

*  See  page  18. 


26o  WORDS  FOR  THE   WOUNDED. 

Son  Jesus  Christ,  has  redeemed  us  from  the  fall 
and  death  of  Adam,  and  by  His  Holy  Spirit  has 
planted  the  hope  of  eternal  life  in  our  hearts, 
your  Grace  must  not  be  distressed,  but  receive 
this  visitation  with  thankfulness.  For  we  who 
believe  on  Him  are  no  more  our  own,  but  His 
who  died  for  us.  If  we  are  sick  it  is  not  to  our- 
selves ;  if  we  are  well,  it  is  not  to  ourselves  ;  go 
with  us  how  it  may,  it  is  all  not  to  ourselves  but  to 
Him  who  has  died  for  us,  and  made  us  His  own. 
As  with  a  good  child,  if  it  is  sick  and  suffers, 
its  sickness  is  more  to  its  parents  than  to  itself ; 
so  is  it  with  us  and  Him  who  has  redeemed  us 
with  His  blood  and  death.  And  in  this  faith, 
though  we  die,  we  die  not ;  though  we  are  sick, 
we  are  not  sick,  but  whole  to  Christ,  in  whom 
all  that  according  to  the  flesh  seems  to  us  sick, 
feeble,  dead,  and  lost,  is  sound,  fresh,  living, 
and  blessed.  He  is  Almighty  on  whom  we 
believe. 

"  1\  /r  Y  TIMES  ARE  IN  Thy  HAND."  This  say- 
..VX  ing  I  learned  in  my  sickness,  and  will 
corre6l  and  alter  my  interpretation  of  it ;  for  be- 
fore I  put  it  off  as  belonging  only  to  the  day  of 
death.  But  it  means  this  :  In  Thine  hand  is 
my  time,  that  is,  my  whole  life,  all  my  days, 
hours,  and  moments.  As  if  he  should  say,  "  My 
health,  sickness,  misfortune,  prosperity,  life,  death, 
joy,  sorrow,  all  are  in  Thy  hands,  as  also  experi- 
ence shows." 


I 


SICA'NESS.  261 

F  trial  makes  us  impatient,  then   the   devil 
laughs  and  is  glad. 


IN  the  year  1536,  on  the  i8th  of  July,  after  the 
sermon.  Dr.  Martin  Luther  went  to  visit  an 
honorable,  pious  matron  who  had  been  exiled 
from  Leipzig.  On  the  way  her  husband  had 
been  drowned,  and  she  had  fallen  into  such  heart- 
anguish  and  sorrow  that  in  one  night  she  had 
fainted  away  fifteen  times.  When  the  Do6lor  en- 
tered, she  received  him  cordially  and  said,  "  Oh, 
dear  Herr  Do6lor,  how  can  I  merit  such  kind- 
ness from  you } " 

He  answered  and  said :  "  It  was  long  since 
merited.  Christ  Jesus  with  His  blood  has  done 
and  merited  far  more  than  this." 

Then  he  asked  how  it  was  with  her,  and 
entreated  that  she  would  be  content  with  the 
will  of  God,  and  suffer  it  with  patience,  as 
the  chastening  of  a  Father  who  had  redeemed 
her.  "  Dear  daughter,"  said  he,  "  be  at  peace, 
and  suffer  the  Father's  chastening,  let  it  be  for 
death  or  life,  as  it  pleases  God  whom  we  love. 
For,  living  or  dying,  we  are  His,  as  he  says, 
*  Because  I  live,  yesJialllive  also!  He  has  given  you 
a  costly  treasure  in  this  suffering.  He  will  also  give 
you  to  bear  it  patiently.  Therefore  pray  diligently." 

Thereupon  she  answered  in  a  right  Chris- 
tian way,  that  "  she  was  indeed  at  peace  ;  she 
knew  God  meant  well,  and  as  a  Father  with  her, 
and  would  give  her  patience  to  bear  the  Cross." 


262  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

So  the  Do6lor  departed  from  her,  giving  her 
his  blessing,  and  committed  her  to  the  care 
and  keeping  of  our  good  God. 

IN  the  year  1536,  on  the  4th  of  August,  he 
visited  Benedi6la,  the  widow  of  the  Burgo- 
master of  Wittenberg,  and  he  said  to  her  :  "  Dear 
friend,  you  will  have  patience,  and  willingly  bear 
the  will  of  God,  which  is  good  and  holy  ;  for  the 
body  must  suffer  and  die.  But  we  have  this  great 
comfort  and  prerogative,  that  we  may  commit  the 
dear  soul  into  the  bosom  of  Him  who  has  re- 
deemed us.  This  consolation  the  world  has 
not." 

HE  once  visited  a  chancery-writer  at  Torgau, 
who  was  a  good,  diligent  man,  comforted 
him,  and  bade  him  be  of  good  heart  and  keep  to 
the  physician's  dire6lions,  and  commend  his  soul 
to  the  faithful  Creator ;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  we  may 
well  be  glad  to  die  ;  we  have  lived  long  enough, 
save  that  we  may  have  to  live  yet  a  while  longer 
for  the  sake  of  others." 

ONCE  when  Dr.  Martin  lay  ill  himself,  and 
the  physician  felt  his  pulse,  and  found 
him  changed  for  the  worse,  he  said,  "  Here  I  am. 
I  stand  and  rest  here  on  the  will  of  God.  To 
Him  I  have  entirely  given  myself  up.  He  will 
make  it  all  right.  For  this  I  know  certainly  ;  I 
shall  not  die,  for  He  is  the  Resurre6lion  and  the 


SICJ^TNESS.  263 

Life,  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  on 
Him  shall  never  die,  and  even  if  he  die  he  shall 
live.  Therefore  I  commit  it  all  to  His  will,  and 
leave  Him  to  order  all." 


DOCTOR  MARTIN  LUTH-ER  was  visiting 
an  honorable  matron  who  lay  in  sore  sick- 
ness, and  he  comforted  her  thus  : 

"  Muhme  Lene,  do  you  know  me  .^  Do  you 
recognize  me  .'' "  And  when  she  signified  that 
she  knew  and  understood,  he  said  to  her^  "  Your 
faith  rests  wholly  and  entirely  on  the  Lord 
Christ." 

Then  he  added : 

"  He  is  the  Resurre6lion  and  the  Life.  You 
will  lose  nothing.  You  will  not  die,  but  fall 
asleep  as  in  a  cradle.  And  when  the  morning 
dawns,  you  will  rise  again  and  live  forever." 

She  said,  "  Yes." 

Then  the  Doctor  asked  her,  and  said  : 

"Have  you  any  temptation  V 

She  said,  "  No." 

"  How  .?      Does  nothing  indeed  trouble  you  } " 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  I  have  a  pain  in  my  heart." 

Then  he  said,  "  The  Lord  will  soon  redeem 
you  from  all  evil.     You  will  not  die." 

And  he  turned  to  us  and  said  : 

'•  Oh,  how  well  it  is  with  her !  For  this  is  not 
death.     It  is  sleep." 

And  he  went  to  the  window  and  prayed. 


264  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

At  mid-day  he  left  her  ;  and  at  seven   in  the 
evening  she  softly  fell  asleep  in  Christ. 

Ltcthers  Way  of  visiting  the  Sick, 

WHEN  Dr.  Martin  Luther  came  to  visit  a 
sick  person  in  his  weakness,  he  was  wont 
to  speak  very  gently  to  him;  to  bend  down  close 
to  him,  and  first  to  ask  him  about  his  sickness, 
what  ailed  him,  how  long  he  had  been  ill,  what 
physician  he  had  seen,  and  what  treatment  had 
been  prescribed  for  him. 

Then  he  began  to  ask  if  he  had  been  patient 
toward  God  under  this  sickness.  And  if  he 
found  that  the  sick  person  had  borne  his  sick- 
ness patiently,  as  sent  to  him  by  the  gracious 
and  fatherly  will  of  God,  that  he  felt  he  deserved 
this  chastening  for  his  sins,  and  was  willing,  if 
it  was  the  will  of  God,  to  die,  then  Dr.  Luther 
began  heartily  to  commend  this  Christian  will 
and  disposition  as  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  he  was  wont  to  say  it  was  a  great  gift 
of  God  when  any  one  attained  in  this  life  the 
true  knowledge  of  God  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
our  only  Saviour,  and  could  yield  up  his  will  to 
the  will  of  God  ;  and  he  would  exhort  the  sick 
person  to  keep  steadfast  in  this  faith,  through 
the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  would  promise 
himself  to  pray  earnestly  for  him  to  God. 

If  the  sufferer  thanked  him  for  this  kindness, 
and  said  he  did  not  deserve  that  he  should 
visit  him,   the  Do6lor    would   say,  "  It  was  his 


S/CJTJVESS.  265 

office  and  duty,  and  it  was  needless  to  thank 
him  ; "  and  then  would  comfort  him,  saying  he 
should  be  of  good  cheer,  and  fear  nothing,  for 
God  was  his  gracious  God  and  Father,  and  had 
given  letters  and  seals  to  assure  us,  through  His 
Word  and  Sacraments,  that  we  poor  sinners  are 
redeemed  from  the  devil  and  hell,  because  the 
Son  of  God  willingly  gave  Himself  up  to  death 
for  us,  and  has  reconciled  us  to  God. 


12 


III. 


BEREAVEMENT. 


To  Maria  Queen  of  Hiingary  on  the  Death  of  Jier 
Husband,  Lonis  II.,  King  of  Htmgary, 

[Who  was  defeated  and  slain  in  battle  against  the  Turks,  a.d. 

1526.] 

WITH    FOUR    PSALMS    OF    CONSOLATION. 


IT.  PAUL  writes  to  the  Romans  that 
the  Holy  Scriptures  are  Scriptures 
of  consolation,  and  teach  us  patience. 
Wherefore  I  have  now  sent  forth 
these  same  Psalms  to  comfort  your  Majesty  (as 
far  as  God  comforts  us,  and  enables  us  to  com- 
fort others).  In  this  great  and  sudden  misfortune 
and  anguish  wherewith  the  Almighty  God  at  this 
time  visits  your  Majesty,  not  in  anger  or  displea- 
sure, but  to  chasten  and  to  try  ;  that  your  Majesty 
may  learn  to  trust  alone  in  the  true  Father  who 
is  in  heaven  ;  and  to  comfort  yourself  in  the  true 
Bridegroom  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  also  Brother  to 


BEREA  VEMENT.  267 

each  one  of  us,  yea,  our  flesh  and  blood  ;  and  to 
rejoice  in  those  true  friends  and  faithful  compan- 
ions the  dear  angels,  who  are  around  us,  and 
who  are  ministering  to  us. 

For  although  it  is  indeed  a  heavy,  bitter  death 
to  your  Majesty,  and  must  indeed  be  so,  so 
early  widowed  and  despoiled  of  your  dear  con- 
sort, yet  will  the  Scriptures,  especially  the  Psalms, 
give  you  much  good  comfort,  richly  mani- 
festing to  you  the  sweet,  gracious  Father  and  Son 
in  whom  the  sure  and  eternal  life  lies  hidden. 

And,  indeed,  whosoever  can  attain  to  see  and 
feel  the  Father's  love  to  us  in  the  Scriptures, 
he  can  easily  bear  all  the  unhappiness  that  can 
be  on  earth.  On  the  contrary,  he  who  feels 
not  thus,  can  never  be  truly  glad,  though  he 
were  bathed  in  all  the  delights  and  joys  of  the 
world. 

Verily,  to  no  man  can  such  sorrow  come,  as  to 
God  the  Father  Himself,  when  His  beloved  Son, 
in  return  for  all  His  miracles  and  mercies,  was 
wounded,  spit  upon,  cursed,  and  made  to  die  the 
most  shameful  of  all  deaths  upon  the  Cross  ; 
although  to  each  of  us  his  own  misery  seems 
the  greatest,  and  goes  more  to  the  heart  than 
the  Cross  of  Christ. 

On  the  Death  of  the  Wife  of  Capcllaims. 

CHRIST  did  not  hear  our  prayers  and  tears 
for  her  preservation  ;   but  at  the   last  He 
comforted  us,   when,  with  the  best  end,  that  is, 


268      WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

full  of  faith  and  strong  in  spirit,  she  emigrated 
to  Christ. 


To  Co7irad  Cordatus^  on  the  Loss  of  a  Soiu 

GRACE  and  peace  in  Christ,  who  will  con- 
sole thee  in  this  thy  low  estate  and  sor- 
row, my  Cordatus  ;  for  who  else  can  assuage 
such  a  grief?  Easily,  indeed,  do  I  believe  all 
that  thou  writest,  knowing  how  such  a  loss  goes 
into  the  heart  of  a  father,  sharper  than  any 
sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder 
of  the  joints  and  marrow. 

Yet,  on  the  other  hand,  thou  shouldst  remem- 
ber it  is  nothing  marvellous  if  He  who  is  more 
truly  and  essentially  the  Father  than  thou  wert, 
in  His  love,  chose  rather  to  have  thy  son,  who 
is  verily  His  son,  with  Himself  than  with  thee. 
For  he  is  safer  there  than  here. 

But  this  I  write  in  vain.  As  a  fable  to  the 
deaf  are  words  to  recent  grief ;  wherefore,  now, 
yield  to  thy  grief ;  for  greater  and  better  than 
we  have  mourned  with  such  a  mourning,  nor 
were  they  reproved. 

It  is  good,  nevertheless,  for  thee  to  have  reached 
once  that  wilderness  of  temptation,  and  to  have 
learned  the  force  of  thine  own  feelings,  that 
thou  mayest  learn  the  better  in  thyself  what  is 
the  strength  of  the  Word  of  faith. 

Greet  her  who  is  the  sharer  of  thy  grief,  and 
meanwhile  rejoice  more  in  Christ  living,  than  ye 


BEREAVEMENT.  269 

mourn  over  your  son  dead.     Yea,  himself  also 
living,  though  withdrawn  from  you. 

To  Melanchthon 

ON-  THE  DEATH  OF  LUTHER's  FATHER. A.  D,  1530. 

TO-DAY    Hans    Reinicke   has    written    me 
that  my  most  dear  father    departed    from 
this  life,  on  the  Sunday  exaudi,  at  one  o'clock. 

This  death  has  thrown  me  altogether  into 
mourning  ;  remembering  not  only  the  natural 
tie,  but  his  most  gentle  tenderness  to  me,  for 
from  him  my  Creator  gave  me  whatsoever  I  am 
and  have.  Although  it  comforts  me  that  he  writes 
me  he  fell  asleep  most  sweetly  in  the  faith  of 
Christ,  yet  the  memory  of  his  most  sweet  converse 
has  been  such  a  shock  to  my  heart,  that  scarcely 
ever  before  did  I  so  contemn  death.  But  "  the 
righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil  to  come, 
and  enters  into  rest." 

So  many  times,  indeed,  do  we  die  before  we 
die  once.  I  now  succeed  to  the  inheritance  of 
the  name,  for  I  am  the  eldest  Luther  in  my 
family.  To  me,  now,  is  due  not  only  the  chance, 
but  the  right  to  follow  him  into  the  Kingdom 
of  Christ,  which  may  He  benignantly  grant  to 
us  all. 

Therefore  further  I  will  not  write  to  thee,  for 
it  is  meet  and  dutiful  that  I,  a  son,  should  mourn 
for  such  a  father,  from  whom  the  Father  of  mercy 
formed  me,  and  through  the  sweat  of  whose 
brow  He  trained  and  fed  me  to  be  such  as  I  am. 


270  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

I  rejoice  that  he  lived  in  these  times,  so  that 
he  might  see  the  Hght  of  Truth. 

Blessed  be  God  in  all  His  a6ls  and  counsels  for- 
ever.    Amen. 


To  N,  Link^ 

TO  COMFORT  HIM  FOR  THE   LOSS   OF    HIS   SON    WHILE   STUDYING 
AT  WITTENBERG,  A.  D.    1532. 

GRACE  and  peace  in  Christ  our  Lord.  My 
dear  Friend — I  think  the  tidings  must  by 
this  time  have  reached  you  that  your  dear  son 
Johannes  Link,  who  was  sent  hither  to  us  to 
study,  was  seized  with  heavy  sickness,  and  al- 
though, indeed,  no  kind  of  pains  and  care  and 
medical  skill  have  been  spared  for  him,  never- 
theless the  sickness  proved  too  strong  for  him, 
and  has  borne  him  hence,  and  brought  him  to 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  heaven. 

He  was  a  dear  boy  to  us  all,  especially  to  me ; 
for  many  an  evening  have  I  had  him  to  sing  the 
Descant  in  my  house.  Very  quiet  and  gentle 
he  was,  and  especially  diligent  in  study,  so  that 
it  is  sore  to  all  our  hearts  that  he  is  gone,  and 
if  it  had  been  possible  by  any  means,  we  would 
fain  have  rescued  and  retained  him.  But  he  was 
much  dearer  to  God  than  to  us,  and  He  willed  to 
have  him  at  home. 

I  know  well  how  this  event  must  distress  and 
grieve  your  heart  and  your  wife's,  when  it  has  so 
distressed  us  all,  and  especially  me.     Yet  I  en- 


BEREA  FEME  NT.  2  7 1 

treat  you  rather  to  thank  God,  who  has  given 
you  such  a  good  child,  and  has  held  you  worthy 
to  spend  your  means  and  pains  so  well  on  him. 

But  this,  most  of  all,  must  comfort  you  (as  it 
comforts  us),  that  he  fell  asleep  so  softly  and  se- 
renely (fell  asleep  rather  than  departed),  with 
such  a  high  confession,  with  such  faith  and  con- 
sciousness, as  were  a  wonder  to  us  all ;  so  that 
there  can  be  as  little  doubt  as  that  the  Christian 
religion  can  be  false,  that  he  is  now  forever 
blessed  with  God,  his  true  Father.  For  such 
a  Christian  end  cannot  fail  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

You  will  also  take  to  heart  how  much  there  is 
to  make  you  thankful,  and  to  comfort  you  in  his 
not  having  died  in  a  painful  and  violent  way. 
And  if  he  had  lived  a  long  life,  with  all  your  pains 
and  cost,  you  could  only  have  helped  him  a  little 
to  some  office  or  ministry.  But  now  he  is  in 
that  place  which  he  would  not  willingly  ex- 
change for  the  whole  world,  not  even  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

Therefore  let  your  grief  be  such  that  your  con- 
solation shall  be  more  ;  for  ye  have  not  lost  him, 
but  sent  him  before  you,  that  he  may  be  kept  for- 
ever blessed.  For  thus  saith  St.  Paul :  "  Sorrow 
not  as  others  who  have  no  hope."  I  know  that 
Master  Veit  Dietrich,  his  preceptor,  will  write  for 
you  some  of  the  beautiful  words  which  he  spoke 
before  his  end,  which  will  please  and  comfort 
you.     But  from  love  to  the  dear  bov  I  would  not 


2/2  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

delay  to  send  you  this  letter,  that  you  may  have 

sure  testimony  how  it  went  with  him. 

To  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Comforter,   in   His 

grace,  I  commend  you. 

St.  George's  Eve,  1532. 

D.  M.  L.,  with  my  own  hand,  though  now  weak. 

To  Laurentius  yoch^  Chancellor  at  Magde- 
burg^ 

ON    THE    LOSS    OF    HIS    WIFE. 

VERILY,  the  Son  of  God  had  to  suffer,  not 
only  from  the  devil  and  the  evil  world, 
but  at  last  men  said  that  He  was  affli6led  by 
God.  So  must  it  be  with  us  Christians,  so  that 
it  may  seem  to  the  world  that  God  chastens  us, 
and  that  our  enemies  may  boast  and  say,  "  That 
is  the  way  your  new  Gospel  is  rewarded." 

It  is  indeed  a  great  consolation  that  your  wife 
departed  in  so  Christian  a  way,  and  has  gone 
without  doubt  to  Christ  her  Lord,  whom  she 
learned  to  know  here  below.  But  it  is  also  a 
great  consolation  that  Christ  has  given  you  to 
be  moulded  into  His  likeness,  to  suffer  not  only 
from  the  devil,  but  also  from  God,  who  is  and 
shall  be  your  Comforter. 

Therefore,  although  the  flesh  complains  and 
cries,  as  Christ  Himself  cried  on  God,  and  was 
weak,  yet  shall  the  spirit  be  ready  and  willing, 
and  exclaim  with  unutterable  sighing,  "  Abba, 
Father ! "  that  is,  "  Sharp  is  Thy  rod,  but  Father 
art  Thou  still.     This  I  know  for  a  certainty." 


BEREA  VEMENT.  273 

Our  dear  Lord  and  Saviour,  who  is  also  our 
dear  Example  and  Pattern  in  all  our  suffering", 
comfort  you,  and  imprint  Himself  on  your  heart, 
so  that  you  may  accomplish  this  sacrifice,  from 
your  smitten  heart,  and  offer  up  your  Isaac  to 
Him. 
Sunday  affer  All-Saints,  1532. 

To  Laicrentms  yoch. 

A    SECOND    LEITER    OF    CONSOLATION. 

I  HAVE  read  and  perceived  with  joy  that 
God  has  comforted  your  heart,  even  through 
the  fellow-working  of  my  letter.  May  the  same 
gracious  Father  perfe6l  the  consolation  He  has 
begun.  For  we  Christians  must  use  ourselves 
to  seek  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures. 

It  is  therefore  that  He  often  withdraws  from 
us  the  consolationes  reruni  that  the  consolatiojies 
Scriphivamin  may  find  space  to  work  in  us,  and 
may  no  longer  keep  standing  vainly  outside,  as 
a  mere  alphabet  without  exercise. 

We  must  turn  our  faces  to  the  invisibilia 
gratice,  and  the  Jioii  appai'entia  solatii.  We  must 
turn  our  backs  on  the  visible  things,  that  we 
may  grow  used  to  leave  them  and  to  depart  from 
them. 

But  the  unwonted  ever  gives  us  pain,  and  the 
old  Adam  draws  us  back  again  to  the  visible. 
There  would  we  fain  rest  and  stay,  but  it  cannot 
be.  For  "  the  things  which  are  seen  are  tem- 
poral." 

12* 


274  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

But  both  patience  and  consolation  are  God's 
works,  impossible  to  our  strength.  This  is  the 
school  of  all  Christians,  This  art  they  have  to 
learn  daily,  and  yet  can  they  never  apprehend 
it,  much  less  learn  it  thoroughly,  but  remain 
always  children,  and  say  over  and  over  again  our 
A  B  C  in  this  art. 

For  the  rest,  where  we  fail,  we  must  cling  to 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  offer  our  sacrifice 
through  Christ,  with  a  Pater  Noster,  until  that 
happy  Day  comes,  and  makes  us  perfe6l  in  all 
things.  Then  we  shall  be  a  goodly  company,  in 
all  things  like  Christ  our  Pattern. 

Magdalene  Liithers  Illness  a7id  Death, 

N  the  5th  of  September,  1542,  Magdalene 
became  ill,  and  Do6lor  Luther   wrote    to 
Marcus  Crodel : 

Grace  and  peace,  my  Marcus  Crodel :  I  request 
that  you  will  conceal  from  my  son  John  what  I 
am  writing  to  you.  My  daughter  Magdalene  is 
literally  almost  at  the  point  of  death  ;  soon  about 
to  depart  to  her  Father  in  heaven,  unless  it 
should  yet  seem  fit  to  God  to  spare  her.  But 
she  herself  so  sighs  to  see  her  brother,  that  I  am 
constrained  to  send  a  carriage  to  fetch  him. 
They  loved  each  other  indeed  dearly.  May  she 
survive  to  his  coming  ;  I  do  what  I  can,  lest 
afterward  the  sense  of  having  neglefted  any- 
thing should  torture  me.     Desire  him,  therefore, 


BEREA  VEMENT.  275 

without  mentioning  the  reason,  to  return  hithei 
at  once,  with  all  speed  in  this  carriage,  hither 
where  she  will  either  be  sleeping  in  the  Lord,  or 
will  be  restored.     Farewell  in  the  Lord. 

[Her  brother  came,  but  she  was  not  restored.] 

As  she  lay  very  ill,  Do6lor  Martin  said  : 

"  She  is  very  dear  to  me  ;  but,  gracious  God, 
if  it  is  Thy  will  to  take  her  hence,  I  am  content 
to  know  that  she  will  be  with  Thee." 

And  as  she  lay  in  the  bed,  he  said  to  her  : 

''  Magdalenchen,  my  little  daughter,  thou 
wouldst  gladly  stay  with  thy  father  here  ;  and 
thou  wilt  also  gladly  go  to  thy  Father  yonder." 

She  said,  "  Yes,  dearest  father ;  as  God 
wills." 

Then  the  father  said  : 

"Thou  darling  child,  the  spirit  is  willing,  but 
the  flesh  is  weak." 

Then  he  turned  away  and  said : 

"  She  is  indeed  very  dear  to  me  ;  if  the  flesh 
is  so  strong,  what  will  the  spirit  be  t " 

And  among  other  things  he  said  : 

"  For  a  thousand  years  God  has  given  no 
bishop  such  great  gifts  as  He  has  given  me  ;  for 
we  must  rejoice  in  God's  gifts.  I  am  angry  with 
myself  that  I  cannot  rejoice  from  my  heart  for 
her  and  give  thanks  ;  although  now  and  then  I 
can  sing  a  little  song  to  our  Lord  God,  and  thank 
Him  a  little  for  this. 

"  But  let  us  take  courage.  Living  or  dying  we 
are    the    Lord's,     Sive   vivimus^  sive   nioriinur, 


2/6  WORDS  FOR  THE   WOUNDED. 

Dojnini  suimis  ;  that  is  both  in  the  genitive, '  the 
Lord's/  and  in  the  nominative,  lords,"  (To  Mastei 
Rorer)  :  "  Herr  Magister,  be  of  good  cheer." 

Then  Master  George  Rorer  said: 

"  I  once  heard  a  word  from  your  reverence, 
which  often  comforts  me,  namely  :  *  I  have  prayed 
our  Lord  God  that  He  will  give  me  a  blessed  dying 
hour,  when  I  journey  hence  ;  and  He  will  also  do 
it ;  of  that  I  feel  sure.  At  my  last  hour  I  shall 
speak  with  Christ,  my  Lord,  were  it  for  ever  so 
brief  a  time.'  But  I  (said  Master  Rorer)  have  a 
fear  that  I  shall  depart  hence  suddenly,  in  silence, 
without  being  able  to  speak  a  word." 

Then  Do61:or  Martin  Luther  said  : 

"  Living  or  dying  we  are  the  Lord's.  Equally 
so,  whether  you  fell  from  the  top  of  a  stair,  or 
were  suddenly  to  die  while  you  were  sitting  quiet- 
ly writing.  It  would  not  really  harm  me  if  I  fell 
from  a  ladder  and  lay  at  its  foot  dead,  for  the 
devil  is  our  enemy." 

When  at  last  little  Magdalene's  countenance 
changed,  and  she  lay  at  the  point  of  death,  her 
father  fell  on  his  knees  by  her  bedside,  wept  bit- 
terly, and  prayed  that  God  would  set  her  free. 

Then  she  departed,  and  fell  asleep  in  her  fa- 
ther's hands. 

Her  mother  was  also  in  the  room,  but  further 
off,  on  account  of  her  grief. 

This  happened  a  little  after  nine  o'clock  on  the 
Wednesday  of  the  Seventeenth  Sunday  after 
Trinity,  Anno  1542. 


;  BEREAVEMENT.  2yj 

The  Do6lor  repeatedly  said,  as  mentioned 
above,  "  I  would  fain  keep  my  child,  for  she  is 
very  dear  to  me,  if  our  Lord  God  would  leave  her 
with  me.  But  His  will  be  done.  To  her  indeed 
nothing-  better  can  happen." 

While  she  yet  lived,  he  said  to  her  : 

**  Dear  daughter,  thou  hast  also  a  Father  in 
heaven.     Thou  art  going  to  him." 

Then  Do6lor  Philip  said : 

"  The  love  of  parents  is  an  image  and  type  of 
the  Godhead,  engraven  in  the  human  heart.  If 
then,  as  the  Scriptures  say,  there  is  in  God  such 
great  love  to  the  human  race,  great  as  that  of 
parents  to  their  children,  verily  it  is  a  great  and 
fervent  love." 

When  she  was  now  laid  in  the  coffin.  Dr.  Mar- 
tin Luther  said  : 

"  Thou  dear  Lenichen,  how  well  it  is  with 
thee." 

And  as  he  gazed  on  her  lying  there,  he  said  : 

"Ah,  thou  dear  Lenichen,  thou  shalt  rise 
again,  and  shine  like  a  star,  yes,  like  the  sun." 

They  had  made  the  coffin  too  narrow  and 
short  for  her,  and  he  said  : 

"  The  bed  is  too  small  for  her,  now  that  she 
has  died.  I  am  indeed  joyful  in  spirit,  but,  after 
the  flesh,  I  am  very  sad  ;  the  flesh  cannot  bear 
it.  Parting  grieves  one  sorely,  beyond  measure. 
Wonderful  it  is  to  know  that  she  is  certainly  at 
peace,  and  that  all  is  well  with  her,  and  yet  to  be 
so  sorrowful." 


2/8  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

And  when  the  people  who  came  to  lay  out  the 
corpse,  according  to  custom,  spoke  to  the  Do6lor 
and  said  they  were  grieved  for  his  affli6lion,  he 
said  : 

"You  should  be  pleased.  I  have  sent  a 
saint  to  heaven  ;  yes,  a  living  saint !  Oh  that 
we  might  have  such  a  death.  Such  a  death  I 
would  welcome  this  very  hour." 

Then  some  one  said  :  "  Yes,  that  is  indeed 
true  ;  yet  each  would  fain  keep  his  own." 

Do6lor  Martin  answered  : 

"  Flesh  is  flesh,  and  blood  is  blood.  I  am  glad 
that  she  has  passed  over.  There  is  no  sorrow 
but  that  of  the  flesh." 

Afterward  he  said  to  others  who  came  in  : 

"  Let  it  not  grieve  you.  I  have  sent  a  saint 
to  heaven.     Yes,  I  have  sent  two  thither."  * 

As  they  were  chanting  by  the  corpse,  "  Lord, 
remember  not  against  us  our  former  sins  which 
are  of  old  ;"  he  said,  "  I  say,  O  Lord,  Lord,  not  only 
our  former  sins  which  are  of  old,  but  our  pres- 
ent and  aftual  sins,  for  we  are  usurers,  exa6lors, 
misers.  Yea,  the  abomination  of  the  mass  is  still 
in  the  world." 

*  Alluding  to  the  death  of  his  infant  child,  Elizabeth,  of  whom 
he  wrote  in  1528  to  Hausmann  : 

"  My  little  daughter  is  dead  ;  my  darling  little  Elizabeth.  It 
is  strange  how  sick  and  wounded  she  has  left  my  heart,  almost  as 
tender  as  a  woman's,  such  pity  moves  me  for  that  little  one.  I 
never  could  have  believed  before  what  is  the  tenderness  of  a 
father's  heart  for  his  children.  Do  thou  pray  to  the  Lord  for 
me,  in  whom,  farewell." 


BEREAVEMENT.  279 

When  the  coffin  was  closed  and  she  was  laid 
in  the  grave,  he  said  : 

*'  There  is  indeed  the  Resurre6lion  of  tlie 
body." 

And  as  they  returned  from  the  funeral,  he 
said  : 

"  My  daughter  is  now  provided  for,  both  in 
body  and  soul.  We  Christians  have  nothing  to 
complain  of ;  we  know  it  must  be  so.  We  are 
more  sure  of  eternal  life  than  of  anything  else. 
For  God  who  has  promised  it  to  us  for  His  dear 
Son's  sake  can  never  lie.  Two  saints  of  my 
flesh  our  Lord  God  has  taken,  but  not  of  my 
blood.  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  King- 
dom." 

Among  other  things  he  said : 

"  We  must,  however,  provide  for  our  children, 
and  especially  for  the  poor  little  maidens.  We 
must  not  leave  it  to  others  to  care  for  them.  For 
the  boys  I  have  no  mercy.  A  lad  can  maintain 
himself  wherever  he  goes  if  he  will  only  work  ; 
and  if  he  will  not  work  he  is  a  scoundrel.  But 
the  poor  little  maiden-folk  must  have  a  staff  in 
their  hands. 

And  again  : 

"  I  give  this  daughter  very  willingly  to  God. 
Yet  after  the  flesh,  I  would  have  wished  to  keep 
her  longer  with  me.  But  since  He  has  taken  her 
away  I  thank  Him." 

The  night  before  Magdalene  died,  her  mother 
had  a  dream  in  which  it  seemed  to  her  that  two 


28o      WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

fair  youths,  gloriously  apparelled,  came  and 
sought  to  lead  her  daughter  away  to  her  marriage. 

When  on  the  next  morning  Philip  Melanch- 
thon  came  into  the  cloister  (Luther's  home),  and 
asked  her  how  her  daughter  was,  she  told  him  her 
dream. 

But  he  was  alarmed  at  it,  and  said  to  others  : 

"  Those  young  men  are  the  dear  angels  who 
will  come  and  lead  this  maiden  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  to  the  true  marriage. 

And  on  the  same  day  indeed  she  died. 

Some  little  time  after  her  death  Dr.  Martin 
Luther  said : 

"If  my  daughter  Magdalene  would  come  to 
life  again,  and  bring  with  her  to  me  the  Turkish 
kingdom,  I  would  not  have  it  so.  Ah,  she  has 
made  a  good  journey.  Beati  mortui qni  in  Domiiio 
moriuntiir.  Who  dies  thus,  surely  has  eternal 
life.  I  would  that  I  and  my  children  and  ye  all, 
my  friends,  could  thus  journey  hence,  for  evil  days 
are  coming.  There  is  neither  help  nor  counsel 
more  on  earth,  until  the  Last  Day.  I  hope,  if 
God  will,  it  will  not  be  long  delayed  ;  for  covetous- 
ness  and  usury  increase." 

And  often  at  supper  he  repeated,  "  Et  miilti- 
plicata  sunt  mala  in  terrisT 

Luther  s  Epitaph  on  Magdalene. 

DORMIO  cum  san6lis  hie  Magdalena  Lutheri 
Filia,  et  hoc  strato  te6la  quiesco  meo. 
Filia  mortis  eram,  peccati  semine  nata, 

Sanguine  sed  vivo,  Christe,  redempta  tuo. 


BEREAVEMENT.  28 1 

(IN  ENGLISH.) 

HERE  sleep  T,  Lenichen,  Dr.  Luther's  little  daughter, 
Rest  ■with  all  the  Saints  in  my  little  bed  : 
I  who  was  born  in  sins, 
And  must  forever  have  been  lost. 
But  now  I  live,  and  all  is  well  with  mc, 
Lord  Christ,  redeemed  with  Thy  blood. 

To  y-iistits  yo7ias. 

I   THINK  you  will  have  heard  that  m}^  most  clear 
daughter  Magdalene  is    born    again    to  the 
eternal  Kingdom  of  Christ.  But  although  I  and  my 
wife  ought  to  do  nothing  but  give  thanks,  rejoicing 
in  so  happy  and  blessed  a  departure,  by  which  she 
has  escaped  the  power  of  the  flesh,  the  world, 
the  Turk,  and  the  devil ;  yet  such  is  the  strength 
of  natural  affe6lion  that  we  cannot  part  without 
groans  and  sobs  of  heart.     They  cleave  to  our 
heart ;  they  remain  fixed  in  its  depths  ;   her  face, 
her  words,  the  looks,  living  and  dying,  of  that 
most  dutiful  and  obedient  child  ;    so  that  even 
the  death  of  Christ  (and  what  are  all  deaths  in 
comparison  with  that .'')  scarcely  can  efface  her 
death  from  our  minds.     Do  thou,  therefore,  give 
thanks  to  God  in  our  stead.      Wonder   at   the 
great  work  of  God  who  thus  glorifies  our  flesh ! 
She  was,  as  thou  knowest,  gentle  and  sweet  in 
disposition,  and  was  altogether  lovely.     Blessed 
be  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  called,  and  chose, 
and  has  thus  magnified  her  !  I  wish  for  myself 
and    all    mine,   that   we    may  attain    to  such  a 
death  ;  yea,  rather  to  such  a  life,  which  only  I 


282  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

ask  from  God,  the  Father  of  all  consolation  and 
mercy. 

To  yacob  P^^obst^  Pastor  at  Bremen, 

MY  most  dear  daughter  Magdalene  has  de- 
parted to  her  Father  in  heaven.  I  have 
overcome  that  paternal  passion  of  my  grief;  but 
not  without  quivering  with  vengeance  against 
death,  with  which  indignant  passion  I  have  as- 
suaged my  tears.  I  loved  her  vehemently.  But 
in  that  Day  we  shall  be  avenged  on  death,  and 
on  him  who  is  the  author  of  death. 

My  Katha  salutes  thee,  still  sobbing,  and  with 
eyes  wet  with  weeping. 

To  Amsdorf. 

I  THANK  thee  that  thou  hast  sought  to  con- 
sole me  on  the  death  of  my  most  dear  daugh- 
ter. I  loved  her  with  a  right  and  perfect  love, 
not  only  because  she  was  my  flesh,  but  for  her 
most  placid  and  gentle  spirit,  ever  so  dutiful  to 
me.  But  now  I  rejoice  that  she  lives  with  her 
Father,  in  most  sweet  sleep,  until  that  Day. 
And  such  as  our  times  are,  and  worse  as  they  will 
continue  to  become,  I  from  my  inmost  heart  de- 
sire for  myself  and  for  all  men,  for  thee  also  and 
all  dear  to  us,  that  a  like  hour  of  transition  may 
be  given  to  us,  with  so  great  faith,  and  such 
placid  quiet  to  fall  asleep  in  the  Lord  ;  not  to  see 
death,  nor  to  taste  it,  nor  in  the  least  degree  to 


BE  RE  A  VEMENT.  283 

feel  its  terrors.  I  hope  the  time  is  now  at  hand 
of  that  word  of  Isaiah's  :  "The  just  are  gathered 
and  He  down  on  their  beds  in  peace,"  that  when 
He  gathereth  the  wheat  into  His  garner,  He 
may  deUver  the  chaff  to  His  fire. 

Katha  salutes  thee,  still  sobbing  from  time  to 
time  at  the  recollection  of  that  most  obedient  child. 

To  Lauterbach. 

THOU  writest  well,  that  in  this  most  evil 
age  death  is  indeed  to  be  dcsu'ed  (or  rather 
sleep),  for  our  daughters,  and  for  all  dear  to  us. 
And  yet  this  departure  of  my  most  dear  child 
has  moved  me  not  a  little.  Nevertheless  I  re- 
joice, sure  that  she,  as  a  child  of  the  Kingdom, 
has  been  snatched  from  the  jaws  of  the  devil 
and  of  the  world,  so  sweetly  did  she  fall  asleep 
in  the  faith  of  Christ. 

To  yustits  yoiias 

ON    THE   DEATH    OF  HIS    WIFE. 1 542 

WHAT  to  write  I  scarcely  know,  so  has  this 
sudden  grief  of  thine  prostrated  me. 
A  most  sweet  sharer  of  life  have  we  all  lost. 
She  was  not  only,  in  truth,  dear  to  me,  but  her 
most  pleasant  face,  always  full  of  consolation, 
was  dear  to  us  all,  for  we  knew  that  in  all  which 
concerned  us  of  good  or  ill,  she  did  not  only  feel 
with  us,  but  made  it  all  her  own  to  share  and  to 
bear.     Bitter  is  this  parting,  when  I  had  hoped 


284  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

she  would  be  left  after  me,  to  be  to  all  mine  the 
first  and  chief  comforter  among  all  women, 

I  am  stunned  by  this  great  sorrow,  when  I 
remember  her  most  gentle  charafter,  her  most 
placid  manner,  her  most  faithful  heart.  I  can- 
not restrain  my  sobs  at  the  loss  of  such  a  wo- 
man, so  surpassing  in  piety  and  honor,  in  mod- 
esty and  all  human  kindness.  What  it  must  be 
to  thee,  from  my  own  example  I  can  easily 
measure.  The  flesh  has  no  comfort  for  such  a 
grief  We  must  take  refuge  with  the  spirit,  for 
with  a  happy  ending  of  her  course,  she  has  gone 
before  to  Him  who  has  called  us  all,  and  will 
bring  us  all  through,  to  Himself,  in  His  own 
blessed  hour,  from  this  misery  and  malice  of  the 
world.     Amen. 

Meanwhile  do  thou,  I  entreat,  so  sorrow  (for 
cause  indeed  there  is),  that  thou  keep  in  mind 
the  common  lot  of  us  Christians,  who  although 
according  to  the  flesh  we  are  separated  with 
most  grievous  rendings  asunder,  yet  in  that 
life  shall  see  each  other  again,  gathered  and 
knit  together  in  all  those  sweet  unions  of  old,  in 
Him  who  has  so  loved  us  that  He  has  obtained 
that  life  for  us  with  His  own  blood  and  death. 
Dying  and  behold  we  live,  as  saith  Paul. 

It  is  well  done  for  us,  when  with  a  pure  faith 
in  the  Son  of  God  we  fall  asleep.  True  indeed 
that  thy  greatest  pity  should  be  for  those  who 
live.  We  here,  for  a  little  while  in  sorrow,  shall 
be  received  out  of  it  into  that  unutterable  joy, 


BEREAVEMENT.  285 

to  which  thy  Katha  and  my  Magdalene,  with 
many  others,  have  gone  before  us,  and  to  which 
every  day  they  call,  exhort,  and  tenderly  allure 
us  that  we  may  follow. 

To   Wolf  Heinze 

ON    THE    DEATH    OF    HIS    WIFE. 

THIS  very  hour  Dr.  Jonas  has  told  me  that 
your  dear  Eva  has  gone  home  to  God  her 
Father.  I  can  indeed  feel  how  such  a  parting 
must  go  to  your  heart,  and  your  heart-sorrow  is 
indeed  a  grief  of  heart  to  me  ;  for  you  know 
that  I  have  a  deep  and  faithful  love  for  you.  I 
know  also  that  God  has  love  for  you  ;  for  His 
Son  Jesus  is  dear  to  you.  Therefore  your  grief 
moves  me  much. 

Now  what  shall  we  do  t  This  life  is  thus 
based  on  sorrow  that  we  may  learn  how  little 
all  misery  is  compared  with  the  eternal  misery 
from  which  the  Son  of  God  has  redeemed  us, 
He  in  whom  we  have  our  dearest  Treasure, 
which  abides  with  us  forever,  though  all  that  is 
temporal,  and  we  ourselves,  must  pass  away. 

It  is  better  with  her  now  than  where  she  was. 
God  help  you  and  all  of  us  to  journey  thence 
after  her,  although  without  sorrow  that  journey, 
will  not,  cannot  be  made. 

To  Hafts  Reineck 

ON    THE    DEATH    OF    HIS    WIFE. 

DEEP  sorrow  indeed  must  this  be  to  you 
My  heart  also  is  very  heavy  for  your  sake 


286  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

But  what  can  we  do  ?  God  has  so  ordered 
and  balanced  this  Hfe,  that  therein  we  have  to 
learn  and  pra6lise  the  knowledge  of  His  Divine 
and  perfeft  will,  so  that  we  may  prove  ourselves 
whether  we  love  and  esteem  His  will  more  than 
cur  own  selves,  and  than  all  He  has  given  us  to 
love  and  possess  on  earth. 

And  although  the  infinite  goodness  of  His 
Divine  will  is  hidden  too  high  and  deep,  as  is 
God  Himself,  from  the  old  Adam,  so  that  He 
can  draw  no  delight  or  joy,  but  only  mourning 
and  wailing  from  it,  yet  we  have  His  holy,  sure 
Word,  which  reveals  to  us  that  hidden  will,  and 
makes  it  shine  in  our  hearts  ;  as  everywhere 
in  the  Scriptures  He  says  to  us,  it  is  not  in 
anger,  but  in  grace,  when  He  chastens  His 
children. 

Therefore,  since  you  have  richly  learned  the 
Word  of  God,  I  hope  you  will  know  how  to 
pra6tise  it,  that  you  have  the  more  joy  in  God's 
grace  and  Fatherly  will,  and  that  the  sorrow 
may  not  be  to  your  hurt. 

It  is,  moreover,  a  high  consolation  that  your 
wife  departed  in  such  a  Christian  way  from  this 
valley  of  sorrow. 

The  dearest  treasure  on  earth  is  a  dear  wife ; 
but  a  blessed  end  is  a  treasure  beyond  all  trea- 
sures, and  an  eternal  consolation. 

God  help  us  all  in  a  like  way  to  journey  from 
this  sinful  sepulchre  of  corruption  to  our  true 
Home  and  Fatherland. 


BEREA  VEMENT,  28/ 

To  Gcorcre  Hosel 

o 

ON    THE    LOSS    OF    A    SON. A.D.    1 544. 

OUR  Saviour  Christ  saith,  '^  It  is  not  tJiewill 
of  your  heavenly  Father  that  one  of  these 
little  ones  should  perish.''  He  adds  also  a  sign, 
namely,  that  "  Their  angels  do  ahvays  see  the  Face 
of  God!'  Therefore  you  must  not  doubt  that 
your  child  is  with  our  Saviour  Christ  and  all  the 
Blessed  in  joy. 

I  also  am  a  father,  and  have  seen  some  of  my 
children  die.  I  have  also  seen  other  miseries 
greater  than  death,  and  I  know  that  such  things 
cause  anguish.  God  wills  that  our  children 
should  be  dear  to  us.  He  wills  that  we  should 
weep  for  them.  Yet  the  faith  of  the  eternal  joy 
must  work  consolation  in  us. 


T 


To  Ambrosiics  Ber7idt 

ON    THE    DEATH    OF    HIS    WIFE. 

HIS  calamity  is  indeed  a  burning  fire  to 
thee,  yet  is  there  sweetness  distilling 
from  the  very  anguish.  For  it  is  well  \vith  her. 
She  lives  now  with  Christ.  She  has  sprung 
forth  (taken  her  spring  into  the  other  life.)"  Ah, 
would  to  God  that  I  also  had  taken  that  spring. 
I  would  not  much  wish  myself  here  again. 

(Sie  hat  ihren  Sprung  gethan,  O,  wollt  Gott 
dass  ich  den  Sprung  auch  gethan  hatte.  Ich 
wollt  mich  nicht  sehr  herwieder  sehnen.) 


288  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

ON  the  1st  of  December,  1536,  Dr.  Martin 
Luther  visited  the  Burgomaster  Lucas 
Cranach  (the  painter),  who  was  very  sorrow- 
ful and  distressed  on  account  of  the  death  of 
his  dear  and  dutiful  son,  who  by  the  advice  and 
wish  of  his  parents,  and  other  good  people,  had 
travelled  to  Italy,  and  at  Bologne,  on  the  evening 
of  the  9th  of  06lober,  had  died,  with  a  beautiful, 
glorious  Christian  confession  of  faith. 

But  his  parents,  besides  their  natural  love  and 
tenderness,  distressed  and  tortured  themselves 
as  if  they  had  been  the  cause  of  his  death,  be- 
cause they  had  sent  him  thither. 

Thereupon  said  Dr.  Martin  :  "  If  this  were  so, 
I  am  certainly  as  much  a  cause  of  this  as  you, 
for  I  faithfully  counselled  you  and  him  to  it. 
But  we  did  not  do  it  with  the  intention  that  he 
should  die.  Our  hearts  bear  witness  with  us 
how  far  rather  we  would  have  had  him  living. 
Yea,  you  would  indeed  far  rather  have  died 
yourselves,  or  lost  everything  you  possess." 

Afterwards  he  turned  to  the  father,  who  was 
weeping,  and  said  :  "  Dear  Master  Lucas,  let  your 
heart  be  quieted.  God  wills  to  break  your  will, 
for  He  smites  us  where  the  pain  is  sorest,  to 
crucify  the  old  Adam.  And  even  if  our  trials 
are  not  the  greatest,  to  us  they  seem  so. 

"Think  of  dear  Adam,  what  heart-anguish  his 
was  when  the  first-born  brother  murdered  the 
second. 

"  Think  of  the  beloved  David,  who  mourned 


BEREAVEMENT.  289 

for  Amnon  and  for  Absalom,  and  Absalom  was 
indeed  lost. 

"  Let  us  be  comforted  by  the  thought  of  3^our 
son's  goodness  and  dutifulness.  For  the  world 
is  so  evil  that  the  choicest  youths  come  to 
shame,  and  your  son  might  even  have  experi- 
enced this. 

"  Grievous  it  is  to  you  to  have  lost  a  good, 
obedient  son.  We  cannot  but  remember  the 
good  and  true  more  than  the  evil  and  disobe- 
dient ;  yet  let  his  obedience  and  his  Christian 
departure  be  a  joy  to  you.  For  his  last  hour 
was  indeed  good  and  blessed,  and  God  chose 
when  it  should  be.  Ah,  blessed,  and  twice  bless- 
ed is  he  who  has  such  a  departure.  It  is  my 
daily  sigh  and  prayer  that  God  may  grant  me 
a  blessed,  joyful  departure.  Then  shall  I  see 
that  all  was  well  with  me  here,  and,  redeemed 
from  all  distress  and  sorrow,  be  joyful  with  God. 

*'  Dear  Master  Lucas,  commit  this  to  God. 
He  is  the  highest  Father,  and  has  more  right 
to  your  son  than  even  you  have.  For  you  are 
only  his  earthly  father — have  only  trained  and 
cherished  him  a  little  while.  But  God  has  given 
him  body  and  soul,  has  guarded  and  kept  him 
until  now  ;  is  a  tenderer,  yes,  a  far  tenderer  Fa- 
ther than  you.  He  knows  how,  and  He  will 
preserve  him,  care  for  him,  cherish  him  better 
than  even  you,  on  the  whole,  could  do.  Let  your 
mourning  and  grief  have  measure  ;  commit  it  to 
the  will  of  God,  which  is  better  than  ours.      Eat 


290  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

and  drink  and  refresh  yourself;  do  not  make 
yourself  ill  with  grief,  for  you  shall  yet  serve  and 
help  many." 

To  yustus  yonas 

ON    THE    DEATH    OF    HEINZ'S    WIFE. 1 543- 

T  KNOW  his  sorrow  and  mourn  with  him. 
^  But  the  time  is  coming  in  which  thanks  will 
be  given  to  God,  who  has  taken  away  His  own, 
by  so  fatherly  a  stroke,  and  one  suited  to  His 
Church,  from  the  abysses  and  Tartaruses  of  this 
world.  I  can  now  rejoice  that  my  most  dear 
daughter  Magdalene  has  been  called  out  of  this 
Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  feeling  secure  for  her  who 
now  abides  secure  in  eternal  peace,  although 
with  great  anguish  I  lost  her. 

To  Baumgartner  s   Wife 

ON  THE  PERILOUS  IMPRISONMENT  OF  HER  HUSBAND. — 1544. 

OUR  griefs  have  not  risen  so  high  nor  grown 
so  bitter  as  those  of  His  dear  Son  and  the 
dear  mother  of  His  Son. 

We  have  this  glorious  great  advantage  in  our 
sorrows  over  the  sorrow  of  the  world,  that  God 
is  gracious  and  favorable  unto  us,  with  all  His 
angels  and  creatures,  so  that  no  misfortune  to 
the  body  can  hurt  the  soul,  but  must  rather  be 
for  our  profit. 

You  suffer  not  alone,  but  have  many,  many 
faithful  pious  hearts  who  have  great  sympathy 


BEFEA  YEMEN  TS.  2  9 1 

with  you.  Yea,  truly,  in  great  troops  we  visit 
dear  Baumgartner  in  his  prison  ;  that  is,  we  visit 
the  Lord  Christ  captive  in  this  His  faithful  mem- 
ber, and  pray  and  call  on  Him  that  He  will 
deliver  him,  so  that  He  may  rejoin  you  and  all 
of  us. 

To  Parents  unknown  on  the  Death  of  their 

Son. 

SO  also  ye,  when  ye  have  mourned  and  wept 
as  ye  needs  must,  will  once  more  comfort 
yourselves  ;  yea,  thank  God  with  joy,  that  your 
son  has  had  so  beautiful  an  end,  and  has  so 
gently  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,  that  there  can  be 
no  doubt  he  must  be  in  the  eternal  rest  of  Christ, 
sleeping  sweetly  and  softly. 

For  every  one  wondered  at  the  great  grace 
which  enabled  him  to  continue  steadfast  to  the  end 
in  prayer,  and  in  the  confession  of  Christ,  which 
grace  must  be  dearer  to  you  than  that  he  should 
have  revelled  a  thousand  years  in  all  the  wealth 
and  honors  of  the  world.  He  has  taken  with  him 
the  greatest  treasure  we  can  gain  in  this  life. 

He  has  baffled  the  world  and  the  devil  ;  but 
we  must  daily  be  baffled  by  them,  and  wander 
in  the  midst  of  perils,  while  he  is  safe. 

You  have  sent  him  to  the  best  school ;  and 
your  love  and  cost  are  well  repaid.  God  help  us 
to  follow. 

The  Lord  and  highest  Comforter  Jesus  Christ 


292  WORDS  FOR  THE  WOUNDED. 

to  whom  your  son  is  dearer  than  even  to  you  ; 
who  first  met  him  with  His  Word,  and  then 
demanded  him  Himself,  and  took  him  from  you, 
may  He  comfort  and  strengthen  you  by  His 
grace,  until  the  day  when  you  shall  see  your  son 
again  in  His  eternal  joy. 

To  the  Widow  of  George   Schulze  on    the 
Death  of  her  Husba^td- 

THE    SACRIFICE    OF    THE    WILL    TO    GOD. 

YET,  although  you  must  indeed  have  sorrow, 
the  will  of  God  is  best  of  all.  He  has 
given  His  Son  for  us.  How  meet  then  is  it  that 
we  should  offer  up  our  wills  to  His  will  and  to 
His  service  and  good  pleasure,  which  not  only 
are  we  bound  to  do,  but  therein  shall  we  have 
great  and  eternal  fruit  and  joy. 


IJart  JTiftf). 


WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 


WORDS    OF    VICTORY. 


I. 

THE    LAST    CONFLICT. 

To  the  People  of  Wittenberg,  A.D.  1521. 

CANNOT  always  be  with  you.  Every 
one  of  us  must  die  alone  ;  and  in  that 
greatest  and  last  confli6t  none  of  us 
can  counsel  or  help  another.  I  shall 
not  be  with  you,  nor  you  with  me.  He  who 
stands  steadfast  then  against  sin,  the  devil,  and 
hell,  is  saved.     He  who  endures  not  is  lost. 

But  in  that  hour  none  will  stand  steadfast  save 
those  who  have  well  learned  the  words  of  power 
and  comfort  against  sin  during  life.  What  the 
soul  has  embraced  of  that  comfort  in  the  world, 
that  she  bears  away  with  her.  That,  and  nothing 
in  the  world  besides. 

Against  the  devil  and  hell  no  one  in  that  hour 
can  stand,  save   he  who  has  learned    Christ  by 


296  WORDS  OF   VICTORY. 

heart  thoroughly  ;  so  that  he  can  defiantly,  no- 
thing doubting,  hold  up  against  the  devil  how 
Christ  died  for  him,  and  has  vanquished  Satan 
and  hell.  Then  will  he  be  saved,  though  all  the 
devils  are  against  him. 

The  Fear  of  Death. 
"  ^  I  ^HE  fear  of  death,"  he  said,  "  is  itself  death, 

X     and  nothing  else.     He  who  has  banished 
death  from  his  heart  tastes  and  feels  no  death." 

He  was  asked  about  the  pains  of  death. 

"Ask  my  Kathe,"  he  said,  "if  she  felt  anything 
of  them,  for  she  was  indeed  dead." 

She  replied,   "  Herr  Do6tor,  I  felt  nothing." 

Then  Do6lor  Martin  said,  "  Therefore  I  say  that 
the  fear  of  death  is  the  greatest  part  of  death.  In 
the  Hebrews  it  is  written  that  'He  (the  Lord 
Christ)  tasted  death  for  every  man'  We  are  happy 
people  not  to  have  to  taste  death.  For  the  taste  of 
death  is  bitter !  What  kind  of  anguish  it  is  to 
taste  death  may  be  seen  indeed  in  Christ  Him- 
self, when  He  says,  'My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrow- 
ful even  unto  death!  In  the  garden  it  was  that 
Christ  died.     For  to  taste  death  is  to  die." 

What  do  you  think  these  words  mean,  "My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto  death  ?  "  I 
hold  them  to  be  the  greatest  words  in  the  whole 
Scriptures,  although  these  also  are  indeed  great, 
when  He  cried  on  the  Cross,  ''My  God,  my  God ! 
why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  No  one  can  com- 
press this  into  words.    No  angel  understands  how 


THE  LAST  CONFLICT.  297 

great   that  agony  was  that  pressed  the   bloody 
sweat  from  Him. 

That  was  the  taste  and  terror  of  death,  when 
a  creature  had  to  strengthen  the  Creator  !  The 
Apostles  understood  nothing  at  all  of  it. 

''He  who  keeps  my  Saymg  shall  never  taste 

Deathr 

FOR  when  he  dies,  life  shall  so  lift  itself  up 
before  him,  that  for  this  life  which  he  sees 
he  shall  not  be  able  to  see  death. 

For  the  night  becomes  clear  light,  and  bright 
as  day,  because  the  light  and  the  shining  of  that 
rising,  dawning,  new  life,  altogether  quenches  and 
shines  away  this  dying  and  self-destroying 
death. 

DEATH,  which  is  to  men  a  penalty  of  sin, 
through  the  most  tender  and  kind  mercy 
of  God  becomes  to  Christian  men  an  end  of 
sin,  and  a  beginning  of  life  and  righteous- 
ness. 

For  to  him  who  already  has  righteousness  and 
life,  death  becomes  a  minister  of  life — a  loom 
wherein  life  is  woven  ;  which  surely  we  need  not 
fear,  since  through  no  other  passage  can  we  reach 
that  life. 

This  is  the  might  of  faith.  It  mediates  be- 
tween death  and  life,  transmuting  death  into  life 

and  immortality. 

13* 


298  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

THEY  threaten  us  with  death. 
If  they  were  as  wise  as  they  are  unwise, 
they  would  threaten  us  with  life. 

It  is  a  contemptible,  feeble  threat  to  threaten 
Christ  and  His  Christians  with  death,  when  they 
are  lords  and  victors  already  over  death. 

It  is  as  if  I  were  to  threaten  a  man  that  I 
would  bridle  his  horse  for  him,  and  set  him  to 
ride  thereon. 

But  they  believe  not  that  Christ  is  risen 
from  the  dead,  and  is  Lord  over  life  and  death. 
To  them  He  is  still  in  the  grave ;  yea,  still  in 
hell. 

But  we  know  (and  knowing  this  are  bold  and 
joyful),  that  He  has  risen,  and  that  death  is  no- 
thing more  than  the  end  of  sin  and  of  itself 

Small  Intwiatio7ts  of  Immortalily. 

HEREIN  is  indicated  the  soul's  immortality, 
in  that  no  creature  save  only  man  can  un- 
derstand and  measure  the  heavenly  bodies.  Ani- 
mals do  not  consider  and  analyze  the  water  they 
drink.  This  upward  contemplation  of  his  indi- 
cates that  man  was  not  made  to  live  always  in 
this  lower  part  of  the  world,  but  that  hereafter 
he  should  possess  the  heavens. 

DEATH,  in  men,  is  in  infinite  and  countless 
ways  more  mournful  than  in  animals  with- 
out reason.     For  man  is  a  creature  that  was  not 


THE  LAST  CONFLICT  299 

created  for  this,  but  to  live  in  obedience  to  the 
Divine  Word,  and  in  the  Hkeness  of  God.  Man 
was  not  created  to  die. 

DEAR  brothers,"  said  Dr.  Martin  Luther, 
''  despise  the  devil.  For  He  who  was 
nailed  to  the  cross  has  crucified  him  ;  so  likewise 
if  he  crucifies  us,  we,  on  the  other  hand,  shall 
crucify  him,  even  with  that  cross  wherewith  he 
crucifies  us." 

THANK  God,  the  devil  has  never  been  able 
altogether  to  vanquish  me  ;  he  has  burnt 
himself  out  on  Christ.  He  says,  "  Be  of  good 
cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  world  ;  the  sting  of 
death  has  been  worn  out  and  blunted  on  Me,  yea, 
altogether  broken." 

IN  the  year  1538,  on  the  21st  of  06lober,  Dr. 
Martin  Luther  made  a  public  exhortation  in 
the  church,  severely  blaming  those  who  were  so 
fearful,  and  made  such  a  clamor  and  cry  about 
the  Plague. 

"  We  should  be  of  good  cheer  in  the  Lord  ;  and 
should  trust  Him,"  said  he,  "  and  each  of  us  abide 
and  walk  in  his  own  calling,  and  if  our  neigh- 
bors need  our  help  and  assistance,  not  desert 
them.  We  ought  not  to  be  so  sore  afraid  of  death  ; 
for  we  have  the  Word  of  life,  and  we  cleave  to 
the  Lord  of  life,  who  for  our  sake  has  overcome 
death." 


300  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

SINCE  now  He  has  been  laid  beneath  this 
earth,  and  has  been  buried,  henceforth  the 
graves  of  all  Christians  become  san6luaries,  and 
wherever  a  Christian  rests,  there  rests  the  sacred 
bodv  of  a  Saint. 

The  Damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth. 

THIS  place  is  very  remarkable,  that  our 
Lord  Himself  calls  death  nothing  else  than 
sleep,  which  is  a  glorious  consolation  for  all  who 
believe.  For  Christ  does  not  only  say  that  the 
dead  maiden  sleeps  ;  He  proves  by  fa6ls  that  she 
sleeps,  in  that  He  speaks  to  her  with  soft,  gentle 
words,  as  to  awaken  her  from  sleep. 

This  wisdom  none  of  the  world's  wise  men 
have  reached  ;  endless  questions  they  have  rais- 
ed, but  here  all  the  questions  are  answered  in  one 
word,  "  She  sleeps^ 

If  she  sleeps,  where  art  thou,  O  Death  } 
Death  is  no  death  to  the  Christian,  but  really 
a  sleep.     Yes,  even  the  place  where  Christians 
are  buried  is  called  xotfAijTtjpiov^  that  is,  a  sleeping- 
chamber. 

A  MAN  who  lies  asleep  is  much  like  one  who 
is  dead.     Therefore  the  ancient  sages  said, 
"  Sleep  is  the  brother  of  Death." 

So  also  Death  and  Life  are  pi6lured  and  signi^ 
fied  in  the  revolutions  and  transformations  of 
day  and  night,  and  of  all  creatures. 


THE  LAST  CONFLICT.  ZO\ 

SLEEP  is  verily  a  death,  and,  equally,  death  is 
a  sleep.  Our  death  is  nothing  but  a  night's 
sleep. 

In  sleep  all  weariness  passes  away,  and  we 
rise  again  in  the  morning  joyous,  fresh,  and 
strong. 

So  at  the  last  Day  shall  we  arise  from  our 
graves  as  if  we  had  only  slept  a  night,  be  fresh 
and  strong,  bathe  our  eyes  (as  in  morning  dew), 
and  all  %veakness,  corruption,  and  dishonor  shall 
vanish  from  us  forever. 

IF  Cicero  could  nobly  console  himself  and  take 
courage  against  death,  how  much  more 
should  we  Christians,  who  have  a  Lord  who  is 
the  Destroyer  of  death,  who  has  vanquished  him, 
namely,  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  the  Re- 
surre6lion  and  the  Life. 

AND  if  we  would  fain  live  a  little  longer,  what 
a  little  while  it  is  at  the  longest !  Just  as 
if  several  of  us  were  journeying  over  the  Diiben 
Heath  to  Leipzig,  and  some  arrived  at  four 
o'clock,  some  at  seven  or  eight,  some  at  evening ; 
yet  all  had  to  be  there  before  night.  Thus  our 
first  forefather  arrived  a  few  hours  before  us. 
But  even  he  will  have  rested  no  longer  than 
one  night,  like  ourselves. 


w 


E  must  submit  to  death  ;  but  the  miracle 
is  that  whosoever  keeps  to  God's  Word 


302  WORDS  OF  VICTORY.     . 

shall  not  feel  death,  but  pass  hence  as  one  falling 
asleep.  No  more  should  it  be  said  of  such  an 
one,  Morior,  sed  cogor  dormire  ;  no  more  "  I  die," 
but,  "  I  am  constrained  to  sleep." 

I  KNOW  I  shall  not  live  long,"  he  said  ;  "  my 
brain  is  like  a  knife  in  which  the  steel  is 
quite  worn  out,  and  there  is  nothing  but  iron  left. 
The  iron  can  cut  no  more.  So  it  is  with  my 
brain.  Now,  Oh  my  dear  Lord  !  I  hope,  and  am 
persuaded,  that  the  hour  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand. 

"  At  Cobourg  I  used  to  go  about  and  seek  a 
place  where  they  might  bury  me  ;  and  I  thought 
I  could  rest  well  in  the  Chapel,  beneath  the  Cross. 
But  now  I  am  weaker  than  I  was  at  Cobourg. 
God  help  me,  and  give  me  a  gracious,  blessed 
departure.     I  desire  not  to  live  any  longer." 

ON  the  22d  of  July,  in  the  year  1533,  Dr. 
Martin  Luther  said,  at  table,  to  Duke  John 
Frederic,  Ele6tor  of  Saxony,  "  It  is  a  far  more 
terrible  thing  when  a  prince  dies  than  when  a 
peasant  dies,  who  is  thought  nothing  of 

"  A  prince  has  to  be  abandoned  of  all  his  friends 
and  nobles,  and  at  last  must  enter  into  single 
combat  with  the  devil.  Then  there  will  be  no 
help  in  remembering  that  one  has  lived  in  a 
princely  style." 


D 


EATH  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  name  and 
Word  is  held  precious  and  glorious  before 


THE  LAST  COXFLICT.  303 

God  ;  for  we  are  mortal,  and  must  die  in  one  way 
or  another,  on  account  of  sin.  But  if  we  can  die 
for  the  sake  of  Christ's  Word,  and  the  free  con- 
fession of  it,  we  die  a  most  honorable  death  ;  we 
become  altogether  sacred  ;  we  have  sold  our  life 
dear  enough. 

We  who  are  Christians  pray  for  peace  and  a 
long  life  ;  not  for  our  own  sakes,  for  to  such  death 
is  pure  gain  ;  but  for  the  sake  of  the  Church  and 
those  who  come  after  us. 

To  all  the  dear  Friends  of  Christ  at  Halle. 
—1527- 

(on    the    murder    of   the    preacher   GEORGE     WINKLER,    HY 
ARCHBISHOP  ALBRECHT,  AT  MAINZ.) 

THEREFORE  will  I  translate  into  writing 
the  cry  of  his  blood  from  the  earth  ;  that 
this  murder  may  never  more  be  silent,  until  God, 
the  merciful  Father  and  just  Judge,  hear  this  cry, 
as  He  heard  that  of  the  blood  of  holy  Abel,  and 
execute  justice  and  vengeance  on  the  murderer 
and  traitor,  the  old  enemy  who  brought  about 
the  deed  ;  that  the  blood  of  Master  George  may 
be  a  Divine  seed,  and  may  bring  forth  fruit  an 
hundred-fold  ;  so  that  instead  of  one  murdered 
George,  a  hundred  other  true-hearted  preachers 
may  arise,  who  shall  do  Satan  a  thousand- fold 
more  harm  than  this  one  man  has  done.  And 
thus,  because  he  would  not  endure  to  hear  this 
one,  he  shall  have  to  endure,  hear,  and  see  count- 
less  numbers.      As    it    happened    to   the    Pope 


304  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

through  the  blood  of  Huss,  whom  he  would  not 
suffer  to  whisper  in  a  corner,  and  is  now  con- 
strained to  suffer  to  cry  aloud  throughout  all  the 
world,  until  Rome  itself,  and  the  whole  world  are 
become  too  narrow  for  this  cry,  and  nevertheless 
there  is  no  end  to  it. 

To  Michael  Stiefel^ 

ON    THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  LEONHARD  KAISER. 1527. 

UNHAPPY  am  I,  so  unequal  to  Leonhard. 
I  a  preacher  of  many  words,  he  a  mighty 
doer  of  the  Word.  Who  will  make  me  worthy, 
that,  not  with  a  double  portion  of  his  spirit,  but 
with  the  half  of  it,  I  may  vanquish  Satan  ? 

Pray  for  me.  Christ  grant  that  we  be  fol- 
lowers of  Leonhard.  Not  king  only  is  he  de- 
servedly named,  but  Kaiser,  who  has  vanquished 
him  to  whose  power  there  is  no  equal  on  the 
earth. 

Not  a  priest  only  is  he,  but  a  high-priest  and 
true  Pope,  who  has  thus  offered  his  body  a  sac- 
rifice to  God,  acceptable,  living,  holy.  Well  too 
he  is  named  Leonhard  ;  that  is,  strength  of  a 
lion.  Truly  he  was  a  lion,  strong  and  fearless. 
All  names  with  him  have  been  fateful.  He  first 
of  his  family  has  consecrated  and  fulfilled  the 
family  name. 


T 


Attestation, 
HE  handwriting  of  Luther  which  he  gave 
to  a  messenger  who  asked  for  a  certificate 


THE  LAST  CONFLICT.  305 

that  he  was  alive  ;  for   the  Papists  had   shown 
great  joy  at  the  news  of  his  death." 

I  DOCTOR  MARTIN,  confess,  in  this  my 
handwriting,  that  I  am  of  one  mind  with  the 
Devil,  the  Pope,  and  all  my  enemies  ;  for  they 
would  fain  rejoice  over  my  death  ;  and  I,  from 
my  heart,  would  fain  give  them  this  joy,  and 
would  gladly  have  died  at  Smalkald.  But  God 
would  not  have  it  so  that  I  should  confirm  this 
their  joy. 

But  one  day  He  will  do  it  ere  they  think,  to 
my  great  gain ;  and  then  they  will  say,  "  Alas, 
if  Luther  were  still  alive  !  " 

THERE  is  no  better  death  than  that  of  St. 
Stephen,  who  says, "  Lord,  into  Thy  hands 
I  commend  my  spirit,"  *  To  lay  aside  all  the 
register  of  our  sins  and  our  merits,  and  to  die 
on  simple  grace  alone. 

St.  Stephen  learned  this  of  two  high  persons, 
of  the  Lord  Christ,  and  of  David. 

*   V.  Page  27. 


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II. 


THE  PRESENT  LIFE  OF  THE  JUST  IN 
HEAVEN. 

Him  sin  is  laid  no  more,  but  only 
righteousness  ;    no  pain    and   sorrow- 


are  in  Him  any  more,  but  only  joy ; 

no  death  but  unmingled  life,  far,  far 
fuller  than  this  temporal  life.  This  should  make 
us  joyful.  For  since  the  Lord  Christ  is  now 
sitting  yonder  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
possesses  and  rules  not  a  kingdom  of  death,  sor- 
row, and  misery,  but  a  kingdom  of  life,  where 
dwell  peace,  joy,  and  redemption  from  all  evil,  so 
also  it  is  certain  that  His  own  do  not  remain  in 
death,  anguish,  terror,  temptation,  and  suffering, 
but  must  be  torn  from  death,  and  live  with  Him. 
"  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also!' 

IT  is  enough  that  we  know  we  live  when  our 
body  dies.     But  how  we  shall  there  live,  we 
know  not  yet.     For  this  life  is  hidden  in  God. 


LIFE  OF  THE  JUST  IN  HEAVEN.  30/ 

"  T  T  E  IS  THE  God  not  of  the  dead,  but  of 
1  X  THE  LIVING."  Therefore  it  is  impossi- 
ble that  the  good  should  altogether  die.  They 
must  live  eternally  ;  otherwise  God  would  not 
be  their  God. 

THE  Scriptures  say  that  the  holy  and  just  go 
into  the  unseen  world,  and  there  enjoy  the 
most  pleasant  peace,  and  the  sweetest  rest. 
How  they  live  there  we  indeed  know  not,  nor 
what  the  place  is  where  they  dwell.  But  this 
we  know  assuredly,  they  are  in  no  grief  or  pain, 
but  rest  in  the  grace  of  God.  As  in  this  life 
they  were  wont  to  fall  softly  asleep  in  the  guard 
and  keeping  of  God  and  of  the  dear  angels,  with- 
out fear  of  harm,  though  the  devil  might  prowl 
around  them,  so  after  this  life  do  they  repose  in 
the  hand  of  God. 

WHEN  my  soul  journeys  forth  I  know  that 
highest  kings  and  princes  are  appointed 
to  attend  me,  namely  the  dear  angels  themselves, 
who  will  receive  me  and  guard  me  on  my  way. 

THE  Father  of  all  mercy  has  given    us    to 
believe  not  in  a  wooden,  but  in  a   living- 
Christ. 

And  if  Satan  towers  yet  higher,  and  rages 
more  fiercely,  he  shall  not  weary  us  out,  unless 
he  could  tear  down  Christ  from  the  right  hand 
of  God. 


308  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

While  Christ  sits  there,  we  also  shall  remain 
lords  and  princes  over  sin,  death,  the  devil,  and 
hell. 

Our  cause  is  not  yet  sunk  so  low  as  it  sank  in 
Christ's  own  time,  when  Peter  himself  denied 
Him,  and  all  the  disciples  fled  from  Him,  and 
Judas  betrayed  Him.  And  if  it  fell  as  low  as 
this,  nevertheless,  never  should  it  fall  to  the 
ground,  nor  ever  shall  our  Christ  perish. 

THE  world  lifts  itself  up  raging  against 
Christ.  Be  it  so.  With  this  Man  we 
choose  to  be  trampled  on,  and  with  Him  to  rise. 
We  shall  see  what  they  gain  and  we  lose  by  this ; 
for  He  says,  "  Where  I  am,  there  also  shall  my 
serva7it  be!^ 

THE  enemy  will  have  to  let  Christ  stand ; 
and  even  if  we  die,  we  are  not  dead.  If 
Christ  can  die,  then  shall  I  die.  But  I  comfort 
myself  with  this.  The  Word  of  God  abideth  for- 
ever.    "  /  live,  and  ye  shall  live  alsoT 

Immortality  in  Name  and  in  Truth. 

O INCE  all  men  feel  and  recognize,  yea  see, 
O  that  we  must  die  and  pass  away,  every  one 
seeks  immortality  here  on  earth,  that  he  may  be 
forever  remembered. 

Great  kings,  princes,  and  lords  sought  it  of 
old,  by  ere6ling  marble  obelisks,  and  high  pyra- 
mids ;  and  now  by  building  costly  churches  and 


LIFE  OF  THE  JUST  IN  HE  A  VEN,  3^9 

palaces.  Soldiers  seek  an  eternal  name  through 
famous  vi6lories  ;  learned  men  by  writing  books. 
But  the  endless,  imperishable  glory,  and  the 
eternity  of  God,  men  do  not  see.  Ah  !  we  arc 
poor  creatures. 


NATURAL  life  is  a  little  fragment  of  the 
Eternal  life. 


T 

A 


HIS  life  is  life  before  our  true  birth  to  im- 
mortality. 

LL    that    God  creates.  He  creates  for  life. 
He  has  delight  in  life. 


HE  said  once,  "  When  he  lay  a  babe  on  his 
mother's  breast  he  knew  little  how  he 
would  afterwards  be  nourished,  or  what  his  future 
life  would  be."  Still  less  do  we  understand  what 
the  eternal  life  will  be.    We  are  like  infants  here. 

HERE  on  earth  it  is  ever  imperfe6l.  We 
cannot  here  acknowledge  and  grasp  our 
true  treasure  as  we  would.  He  has  indeed  begun 
in  us,  and  will  not  give  up  the  work,  but  if  we 
continue  in  faith  and  are  not  impatient.  He  will 
bring  us  to  the  true,  eternal  good  things  and 
perfect  gifts,  where  we  shall  never  wander,  stum- 
ble, be  angry,  or  sin  any  more. 


310  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

WE  know  not  how  our  Lord  God  is  carry- 
ing on  His  building.     Here  we  see  only 
the  scaffolding,  with  its  beams  and  boards. 

But  in  that  life  we  shall  see  God's  buildins: 
and  house  ;  and  then  we  shall  wonder,  and  shall 
indeed  rejoice  that  we  have  endured  temptation. 

AS  there  is  a  difference  among  the  stars,  so 
will  there  be  among  the  Saints  after  this 
life,  in  the  eternal  life.  As  St.  Augustine  says, 
"  God  crowns  His  gifts  in  man." 

WE  do  not  believe  that  God  will  give  us 
better  things  than  those  which  He  lavish- 
es on  the  godless  in  this  world  ;  namely,  better 
things  than  money,  lands,  honor,  and  power. 

The  supreme  good,  indeed,  He  withholds  from 
them,  because  they  desire  it  not  ;  namely.  Him- 
self. 

But  he  who  has  not  God,  let  him  have  what 
he  will  besides,  is  poorer  and  more  miserable  be- 
fore God  than  Lazarus,  who  lay  at  the  rich  man's 
gate,  and  died  of  hunger  there. 

If  indeed  the  rich,  patient  God  lavishes  such 
temporal  good  things,  yea,  even  dominions  and 
kingdoms,  on  His  bitter  foes  and  blasphemers, 
what  has  He  not  prepared  for  us  His  children 
who  suffer  for  His  sake  }  Nay,  what  has  He  not 
given  }  His  Only  Begotten  Son,  and  with  Him 
all  things  :  that  we  in  Him  should  be  children  of 


LIFE  OF  THE  JUST  IN  HEA  VEN.  3  1 1 

God,  heirs    and   fellow-heirs,  through  hope,   of 
eternal  heavenly  treasures. 

"  T  HAVE  been  suffering  from  sore  sickness, 
X  so  that  I  gave  up  my  life  to  God  ;  but  many 
a  thought  have  I  had  in  my  weakness.  Oh  ! 
how  I  thought  of  what  eternal  life  is,  what  joys  it 
has  !  Although  I  am  sure  that  it  is  already  given 
us  through  Christ,  and  prepared  for  us,  because 
we  believe  ;  yet,  it  is  there  that  it  will  be  mani- 
fested what  the  new  creation  shall  be.  Whilst 
we  remain  here  .below,  we  cannot  attain  to  un- 
derstanding the  first  creation. 

"  If  I  had  been  with  God  before  He  created  the 
world,  I  could  have  given  Him  no  counsel  how 
to  create  the  round  worlds  and  the  firmament 
from  nothing,  and  to  jewel  it  with  the  Sun,  en- 
lightening all  the  earth  in  its  swift  course  ;  or 
how  to  create  man  and  woman.  All  this  He  did, 
and  none  was  His  counsellor  or  taught  Him. 
Surely  therefore  I  may  joyfully  trust  Him  and 
give  Him  glory  for  the  future  life,  and  the  new 
creation,  how  all  shall  be  in  these,  and  be  con- 
tent that  He  alone  be  the  Creator." 

I  THINK  often  about  it,"  said  Dr.  Martin, 
"  but  I  cannot  understand  how  we  shall 
spend  our  tim  .  in  that  eternal  life  ;  no  change, 
no  eating  and  drinking,  no  labor,  nothing  to  do. 
I  deem,  however,  that  we  shall  have  countless 
objects  to  contemplate." 


312  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

Thereon  Philip  Melanchthon  said  very  softly : 
"  Lord,  show  tis  the  Father  and  it  sufficeth  us" 
That  will  be  the  glorious  obje6l  for  us  to  contem- 
plate.    With  that  we  shall  have  enough  to  do. 

IN  the  life  to  come,"  Dr.  Martin  said,  "  we 
shall  not  see  darkly,  as  we  now  do  ;  but  we 
shall  see  face  to  face  ;  that  is  to  say,  there  shall 
be  a  most  glorious  brightness  of  the  Eternal 
Majesty,  in  which  we  shall  see  God,  even  as  He 
is.  There  shall  be  a  true  and  perfe6l  knov*^ledge 
and  love  of  God,  a  perfe6l  light  of  reason,  and  a 
perfe6l  will,  an  heavenly,  Divine,  and  eternal 
will." 

THIS  far  passeth  all  man's  capacity,  that  God 
should  call  us  heirs,  not  of  some  rich  and 
mighty  prince,  not  of  the  Emperor,  not  of  the 
world,  but  of  God,  the  Almighty  Creator  of  all 
things.  If  a  man  could  comprehend  the  great 
excellency  of  this,  that  he  is  indeed  the  son  and 
the  heir  of  God,  and  with  a  constant  faith  believe 
the  same,  he  wo'dd  contemn  all  the  pomp  and 
glory  of  the  world  in  comparison  of  the  eternal 
inheritance.  He  would  do  all  things  with  great 
numility,  and  suffer  all  with  great  patience. 

Furthermore,  he  would  earnestly  desire,  with 
Paul,  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ ;  and  nothing 
could  be  more  welcome  to  him  than  speedy  death, 
which  he  would  embrace  as  a  most  joyful  enter- 
ing  into    peace,  knowing  that   it  would  be  the 


LIFE  OF  THE  JUST  IN  HE  A  VEN.  3  1 3 

end  of  all   his    miseries,  and   that  through   it  he 
should  attain  to  his  true  inheritance. 

Yea,  a  man  that  could  perfedlly  believe  this, 
would  not  long  remain  alive,  but  would  be  swal- 
lowed up  at  once  with  exceeding  joy. 

I   BELIEVE   that  in   that  future  life  we  shall 
need  no  occupation  but  to  contemplate  with 
wondering  joy  the  Creator  and  His  creatures. 

AGAIN  in  his  sickness,  in  the  year  1538,  he 
said  many  beautiful  things  about  the  future 
life,  and  of  its  "unutterable  joy,  which  human 
reason  cannot  comprehend  with  all  her  specula- 
tion and  meditation,  since  we  cannot  with  our 
thoughts  escape  from  the  visible  and  corporeal. 
The  eternal  can  be  comprehended  in  no  human 
creature's  heart.  Work  itself  will  be  delii^ht 
there.  Rapture  will  be  work.  What  that  joy 
will  be  we  cannot  conceive." 

THERE  we  shall  ever  be  studying,  and 
learning  more  of  what  there  is  in  the  In- 
carnation of  the  Son  of  God.  We  can  never 
learn  that  mystery  through.  Yes,  this  will  be 
the  Eternal  life,  the  life  of  the  angels,  ever 
searching  and  learning  more  and  more ;  ever 
seeing  something  new  that  we  have  not  seen 
before. 


N 


OT    to    leave    us   here  on  this  earth  with 
its    troubles    and  sorrows,  its    poor  wants 
14 


314 


WORDS   OF  VICTORY. 


and  pleasures,  did  Christ  come  from  heaven, 
die  on  the  Cross,  and  rise  again  ;  still  less 
to  leave  us  in  the  dust  and  corruption  of  the 
grave  ;  but  to  bring  us  to  another  life,  where  we 
shall  need  no  more  to  eat  and  drink  and  toil  ; 
shall  never  more  sufft^r,  be  sorrowful,  or  die. 


III. 


THE    RESURRECTION  AND  THE  GLO- 
RIOUS ADVENT. 


Manifestation  of  Christ, 

OW  that  Christ  has  risen  again  He 
has  drawn  all  with  Him,  so  that  all 
men  must  rise,  even  the  ungodly. 
But  that  we  still  live  here  and  use 
this  world  is  just  as  if  a  father  were  to  take  a 
journey  into  a  foreign  country,  and  were  to  say 
to  his  child  or  servant,  "  See,  there  thou  hast  two 
golden  groschen  ;  use  them  for  the  necessities 
and  nourishment  of  thy  body  until  I  come  again." 
Moreover  all  creatures  are  a  figure  and  type 
of  the  future  Resurre6lion,  for  towards  the  spring 
they  come  forth  again  living  from  death,  grow 
and  become  green,  which  in  winter  no  one  would 
believe  could  be,  who  had  not  before  proved  and 
seen  it. 


3l6  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

Similarly,  now  that  He  has  ascended  to  heaven 
He  has  taken  all  with  Him  thither.  He  sitteth 
on  the  right  hand  of  God  and  has  translated  us 
who  are  members  of  His  body  with  Him  into 
the  heavenly  existence,  that  we  also,  like  Christ, 
may  be  lords  over  all  things  ;  whilst  yet  He 
remains  the  First-born  among  many  brethren. 

Therefore,  a  Christian  who  believes  this  looks 
at  the  sun,  and  all  that  we  use  here  in  this  world, 
as  if  they  were  not,  but  ever  thinks  of  the  future 
life,  in  which  he  already  lives,  although  it  doth 
not  yet  appear.  The  whole  creation  also  waiteth 
for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God. 

CHRIST  has  made  us  free,  not  civilly  and 
carnally,  but  divinely.  The  most  high  and 
sovereign  Majesty  doth  not  only  defend  and  suc- 
cor us  in  this  life,  but  as  touching  our  bodies 
also,  will  deliver  us,  so  that  our  bodies,  which  are 
sown  in  corruption  and  dishonor  and  weakness, 
shall  rise  again  in  incorruption,  glory,  and  power. 

Death,  which  is  the  most  mighty  and  dreadful 
thing  in  all  the  world,  is  utterly  vanquished  in 
the  conscience  by  this  liberty  of  the  Spirit. 

Wherefore  the  majesty  of  this  Christian  liberty 
is  highly  to  be  esteemed  and  diligently  con- 
sidered. 

IN  the  year  1539,  on  the  nth  of  April,  _Do6lor 
Martin  Luther  was  in  his  garden,  and  with 
many  a  deep  thought,  he  looked  at  the  trees — 


THE  RESURRECriOM  AND  ADVENT.       3  1  7 

how  fair  and  lovely  they  were,  budding  and  blos- 
soming and  growing  green  ;  he  said,  ''  Praised  be 
God  the  Creator,  who  in  the  spring-time  out  of 
dead  creatures  makes  all  living  again.  Look  at 
the  little  twigs,"  he  said,  "  so  sweet  and  full ; 
pregnant  with  new  life.  There  we  have  a  beau- 
tiful image  of  the  Resurrection  of  the  dead.  The 
winter  is  death  ;  the  summer  is  the  Resurreftion  of 
the  dead,  for  then  all  live  again  and  grow  green." 

OUR  Lord  has  written   the  promise  of  the 
Resurre6lion,  not  in   books  alone,  but  in 
every  leaf  in  spring-time. 

WHILE  Adam  (the  old  man)  lives  ;  that  is, 
while  he  sins,  life  is  swallowed  up  of  death. 
But  when  Christ  dies,  death  is  swallowed  up  of 
Life,  that  is,  of  Christ  Himself 

IN  the  year  1544,  on  the  Sunday  Cantate,  after 
Easter,  Dr.  Martin  made  a  very  beautiful 
sermon  in  the  Church  on  the  Resurre6lion  of  the 
dead,  from  the  Epistle.  He  dwelt  on  these  words  : 
"  Thoicfooly  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened 
except  it  die!'  He  spoke  first  of  the  Resurrection 
of  Christ,  "  which,"  said  he,  "  every  day  becomes 
more  complete,  as  one  by  one  we  follow  Him. 
For  we  must  ever  bind  and  link  together  the 
Resurre(5lion  of  Christ  and  our  own.  For  He  is 
our  Head." 


3l8  WORDS  OF  l^ICTORY. 

WHEN  we  shall  live  in  that  Day  we  shall 
look  with  wonder  on  one  another,  and 
say,  "  Shame  !  that  we  were  not  of  better  cheer, 
braver  and  stronger,  and  more  joyful  to  trust 
Christ,  and  to  endure  the  Cross,  and  all  tribula- 
tions and  persecutions,  since  this  glory  is  so 
great." 

THIS  corrupt  and  feeble  body  cannot  con- 
tinue as  it  is.  Therefore  it  is  best  that  the 
Potter  should  take  the  vessel,  break  it  in  pieces, 
make  it  mere  clay  again,  and  then  make  it  al- 
together new. 

SHALL  rise  again,"  said  Dr.  Martin,  "and 
once  more  be  able  to  converse  with  you. 
This  finger,  on  which  this  ring  is,  I  shall  have 
again.  All  must  be  restored.  For  it  is  written, 
*  God  will  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.'  That  will  be 
no  empty  nor  idle  kingdom.  There  will  be  pure 
joy  and  rapture ;  for  those  heavens  and  that 
earth  will  be  no  dry,  barren  sand. 

"When  a  man  is  happy,  a  green  tree,  a  fair 
flower,  or  nosegay  can  make  him  glad  ;  but 
when  he  is  sad  he  can  scarcely  bear  to  look  at  the 
trees,  or  at  anything  beautiful. 

"  Heaven  and  earth  shall  be  renewed,  and  we 
who  believe  shall  be  all  together,  one  company. 

"  If  we  were  all  one  here  on  earth  there  would 
be  great  peace  ;  but  God  makes  it  otherwise,  and 


THE  RESURRECTION  AND  ADVENT.       319 

suffers  this  world  to  be  so  strangely  entangled 
and  confused  that  we  may  long  and  sigh  for  the 
future  Fatherland,  and  be  weary  of  this  toilsome 
life. 

WHEN  Christ  shall  cause  the  trumpet  to 
peal  at  the  last  Day,  then  all  will  spring 
forth  and  arise  ;  as  the  flies  who  lie  dead  (dor- 
mant) in-  winter,  but  towards  summer,  when  the 
sun  shines,  start  to  life  again  ;  as  the  birds,  who 
lie  dead  (dormant)  all  the  winter  in  nests,  or  in 
clefts  of  the  rocks  and  trees,  or  under  the  hol- 
low banks  of  streams,  as  the  cuckoo,  the  swal- 
low, and  others,  and  towards  spring  come  to  life 
again.     Experience  teaches  us  to  expecl  this. 

ONCE,  when  Dr.  Martin  and  others  had  been 
discoursing  merrily  together,  they  came  at 
length  to  earnest  converse  about  eternal  life  ; 
"  how  the  heavens  and  the  earth  would  be  made 
new."  In  Christ  we  already  possess  the  new  fu- 
ture and  eternal  life.  Then  will  the  flowers,  leaves, 
and  grass  be  as  fair,  pleasant,  and  glorious  as 
an  emerald,  and  all  creatures  be  at  their  fairest. 

Even  now,  when  we  have  God's  grace  shining 
on  us,  all  the  creatures  smile  on  us. 

And  in  the  new  heavens  there  will  be  a  great, 
eternal  light  and  beauty.  What  here  we  would 
be,  there  we  shall  be.  Wherever  thought  takes 
us,  thither  the  body  also  will  be  able  to  follow. 

In  this  life  the  body  is  obedient  to  the  will. 


320  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

Much  more  in  the  future  Ufe  shall  the  body  be 
able  easily  to  obey  the  will.  All  shall  be  restored 
us  there,  but  shining,  bright,  glorious.  And  all 
which  here  we  count  fair  will  be  as  nothing,  by 
comparison,  there.  We  shall  be  satisfied  with 
God's  grace,  and  be  altogether  what  we  would 
be.  There  shall  be  all  that  we  would  so  fain 
have  here,  namely :  justice,  peace,  joy,  blessed- 
ness, and  we  shall  be  free  from  all  sickness  and 
every  evil  chance. 

To  a  heart  that  is  full  of  joy,  all  it  sees  is 
joyful  ;  but  to  a  sad  heart  all  is  sad.  Change  of 
heart  is  the  greatest  change. 

All  that  we  lost  in  Paradise  we  shall  receive 
again  far  better,  and  far  more  abundantly.  The 
new  heavens  and  earth,  each  shall  be  full  of 
the  life  which  belongs  to  each. 


N'  OT  only  in  heaven  shall  we  be,  but  where- 
soever we  will  in  heaven  or  earth ;  no 
more  tottering  under  this  heavy  body,  which  ever 
drags  us  earthward.  The  body  itself  shall  then 
be  full  of  a6livity  and  life. 


IT  is  a  great  thing  to  believe  that  then  the 
weak  and  burdensome  body  shall  be  so  vigor- 
ous, and  swift,  and  full  of  life  and  a6livity.  I  be- 
lieve this  but  feebly  ;  the  world  not  at  all. 

If  here  we  have  such  pleasure  in  the  creatures, 
in  the  sun,  the  stars,  and  all  the  creation,  what 


THE  RESURRECTION  A. YD  ADVENT.       321 

will  it  be  there,  where  we  shall  see  God  face  to 
face  ? 

There  the  Saints  shall  keep  eternal  Holy  Day, 
ever  joyful,  secure,  and  free  from  all  suffering ; 
ever  satisfied  in  God. 

This  body  is  a  Sepidchre. 

SLEEP  is  nothing  else  than  a  death,  and 
death  a  sleep.  What  is  our  death  but  a 
night's  sleep  t  For  as,  through  sleep  all  weari- 
ness and  faintness  pass  away  and  cease,  and  the 
powers  of  the  spirit  come  back  again,  so  that  in 
the  morning  we  arise  fresh,  and  strong,  and  joy- 
ous ;  so  at  the  Last  Day  we  shall  rise  again,  as 
if  we  had  only  slept  a  night,  and  shall  be  fresh 
and  strong. 

Wonder  of  the  Saints  at  the  Joy  of  Heaven, 

THOSE  who  in  their  necessity  and  anguish 
could  comfort  themselves  no  otherwise 
than  because  they  had  Christ  the  Son  of  God 
as  their  Saviour  and  their  Advocate  with  the 
Father,  by  keeping  close  to  His  Word,  and  by 
a  heartfelt  yearning  and  longing  for  His  blessed 
appearing, — those  shall  then  look  with  wonder 
on  one  another.  We  shall  recognize  one  another 
and  say,  "  Lo  !  verily,  do  we  meet  again  thus  .? 
Who  would  have  foreseen  this  wonderful,  blessed 
transformation  t  On  earth  we  were  the  most  mis- 
erable, the  least  esteemed,  and  sorely  tried  ;  were 

14* 


322  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

called  heretics  and  those  who  turned  the  world 
upside  down,  were  scorned  and  mocked,  trampled 
under  foot,  hunted  down,  cast  into  dungeons, 
slain  by  torture,  sword,  and  fire.  We  bore  the 
cross  a  little  while,  yea,  but  for  a  rnoment,  com- 
pared with  this  great  glory  which  is  now  re- 
vealed in  us  ;  and  now  behold,  we  live  with 
Christ  in  unspeakable  eternal  joy,  and  praise 
Him,  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  with  all 
the  angels  and  saints." 

"  T  F  we  rightly  considered,"  said  Do6lor  Mar- 
X  tin,  "  how  great  the  glory  of  the  future  life 
will  be,  for  which  we  wait,  when  we  shall  rise 
again  from  the  dead,  we  should  not  be  so  heavy- 
hearted  and  unwilling  to  suffer  all  kinds  of  trials, 
torments,  and  wrong  from  this  evil  world. 

"  When  the  Son  of  Man,  our  dear  Lord  Christ, 
shall  come  at  the  Last  Day  to  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead,  and  His  sentence  falls  on  the 
godly  and  on  the  ungodly,  then  we  shall  be 
ashamed  at  heart,  and  each  say  to  himself, 
'  Shame  on  thee  !  Had  I  indeed  believed  God's 
word,  I  would  have  suffered  gladly  not  only  sore 
temptation,  and  unjust  imprisonment,  but  would 
willingly  have  been  trampled  under  the  feet  of 
all  the  Turks  and  the  ungodly,  and  have  lain 
there,  for  the  sake  of  the  coming  glory  which 
now  I  see  revealed.'  " 

GO  into  the  garden  and  ask  the  cherry-tree 
how  it  is   possible   that   from   a  dry,  dead 


THE  RESURRECTION'  AND  ADVENT       323 

twig  can  spring  a  little,  living  eye,  and  from 
that  eye  can  spring  cherries  ?  Go  into  the 
house  and  ask  the  matron  how  it  is  possible  that 
from  the  lifeless  &^g  can  come  the  living  bird  ? 

And  since  God  docs  such  wonders  with  cher- 
ries and  with  eggs,  canst  thou  not  give  Him  the 
glory  of  believing  that  if  He  suffers  the  winter  to 
come  over  thee,  if  He  suffers  thee  to  die  and  be 
imprisoned  in  the  earth,  thee  also,  when  His 
summer  comes,  will  He  bring  forth  again  and 
awaken  from  the  dead  ? 

Christ  calling  all  by  Name  to  Him. 

MY  Lord  is  called  "  Sit  thou  at  My  right 
Jimid!'  He  saith  "  I  will  raise  you  up 
again  at  the  last  day."  And  then  He  will  also 
say,  "  Do6lor  Martin,  Do6lor  Jonas,  Master  Mi- 
chael Coeli,  come  hither!  "  He  will  call  us  all  by 
name.     Forward  then  :  fear  not. 

The  Advent  {as  he  believed)  near, 

THE  light  of  the  Gospel  in  our  times  is  a 
sure  sign  of  the  glorious  Advent  of  the 
Lord  Christ.  It  is  like  the  rose  of  dawn  pre- 
ceding the  Eternal  Day,  and  the  rising  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness. 

THE  prophets  threw  the  Advents  of  Christ 
together ;  as  now  we  know  that  the  Last  Day 
will  come,  yet  cannot  know  what  or  how  things 


324  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

will  be  after  it,  except  only  in  general  that  there 
will  be  eternal  joy,  peace  and  blessedness.  So 
the  prophets  held  that  immediately  after  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  the  Last  Day  would  come.  They 
have  also  thrown  together  the  signs  of  the  First 
and  Second  Advent,  as  if  both  would  happen  at 
one  time. 

So  also  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  St. 
Paul  questions  whether  the  Day  of  Judgment 
will  soon  come,  while  those  then  at  Corinth  still 
lived.  And  even  Christ  Himself  did  the  same, 
placing  the  signs  of  both  close  together. 

OCTOR  MARTIN  said,  "  Oh,  my  God, 
come  at  last !  I  am  ever  waiting  for  that 
Day,  early  in  the  spring,  when  day  and  night  are 
equal,  and  there  will  be  a  bright  clear  dawning. 
These  are  my  thoughts.  Quickly  from  this  rosy 
morning  sky,  a  black,  thick  cloud  will  arise,  and 
three  flashes  of  lightning,  then  a  peal  of  thun- 
der, and  in  a  moment  (a  '  now '),  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  will  collapse, 
smitten  into  an  indistinguishable  mass.  Praise 
God  who  has  taught  us  not  to  dread,  but  to  sigh 
and  long  for  that  Day.  Under  the  Papacy  all 
the  world  dreaded  it  :  *  Dies  irae,  dies  ilia.'  " 

STIEFEL  said  once,  "  As  I  was  on  the  way 
hither,  I  saw  a  glorious  rainbow,  and  I  thought 
of  the  Last  Day."  "  Nay,  it  will  not  come  ushered 
in  by  rainbows,"  said  Dr.  Martin,  "  but  with  a  sud- 


0-D 

den  crash  ;  with  fire,  thunder  and  lightning,  the 
whole  creation  shall  pass  away.  In  a  moment 
we  shall  all  be  changed.  A  mighty  trumpet- 
peal  will  awaken  and  renew  us  all.  It  will  not 
be  the  soft  sighing  of  a  lute  that  shall  awaken 
all  that  are  in  the  graves  to  hear." 

AFAR  different  pomp  from  the  pomp  of  the 
triumphal  entry  of  kings  and  emperors, 
will  that  Advent  have.  For  the  whole  air  shall 
be  full  of  angels  and  of  saints,  who  shall  shine 
brighter  than  the  sun. 

AT  Easter-tide,  in  April,  when  there  was 
least  fear  of  rain,  Pharaoh  perished  in  the 
Red  Sea  and  Israel  was  led  out  of  Egypt. 

At  the  same  season  the  world  was  created. 
At  that  season  the  year  changes ;  and  then 
Christ  arose  again  and  renewed  the  world. 

So,  perhaps,  at  the  same  season  will  dawn  the 
Last  Day.  I  have  a  thought  that  this  Day  will 
come  about  Easter-tide,  when  the  year  is  pleas- 
antest  and  most  fair ;  and  early,  when  the  sun 
ariseth,  as  with  Sodom  and  Gomorrha. 

The  heavens  will  become  troubled,  and  there 
will  be  thunders  and  earthquakes,  perhaps  for 
an  hour  or  longer.  Then  the  people  who  see  it 
will  say,  "  See  !  see  !  you  foolish  creature  !  Did 
you  never  hear  thunder  before  ? " 

And  suddenly  the  whole  world  will  fall  together, 
and  many  a  debt  will  remain  unpaid. 


3^^  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

Y  these  fires  in  the  sky  I  judge  the  Last 
Day  to  be  at  the  doors.  The  empire  is 
falling,  kings  are  falling,  priests  are  falling,  the 
whole  world  everywhere  is  falling,  even  as  a 
great  house,  when  about  to  fall,  is  wont  first  to 
begin  its  ruin  with  little  cracks. 

His  Prayer  for  the  Speedy  Advent  of  Christ. 

ELP,  O  Lord  my  God,  that  the  joyful 
Day  of  Thy  Holy  Advent  may  come, 
that  we  may  be  redeemed  from  this  evil,  envious 
world,  the  Devil's  kingdom,  and  be  set  free  from 
the  bitter  torments  that  we  have  to  suffer  both 
from  without  and  from  within,  both  from  wicked 
men  and  from  our  own  conscience.  Destroy  this 
old  Adam,  that  we  may  be  clothed  with  another 
body  that  is  not  disposed  to  evil  and  excess  as 
this  is,  but  which,  redeemed  from  all  infirmity, 
shall  be  made  Uke  unto  Thy  glorious  body,  my 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  at  last  we  may  attain 
our  full  and  glorious  redemption. 

Luther  s  last  ConfUH:  and  ViHory. 

ON  Wednesday  the  17th  of  February,  1543,  it 
was  observed  that  he  was  feeble  and  ailing. 
The  Princes  of  Anhalt  and  the  Count  Albert 
Mansfeld,  with  Dr.  Jonas  and  his  other  friends, 
entreated  him  to  rest  in  his  own  room  during  the 
morning.  He  was  not  easily  persuaded  to  spare 
himself,  and    probably  would    not  have  yielded 


THE  RESURRE  C  TION  A  A'D  A  D  VENT.       32/ 

then,  had  he  not  felt  that  the  work  of  reconcilia- 
tion was  accomplished,  in  all  save  a  few  supple- 
mentary details.  Much  of  the  forenoon,  there- 
fore, he  reposed  on  a  leathern  couch  in  his  room, 
occasionally  rising,  with  the  restlessness  of  ill- 
ness, and  pacing  the  room  or  standing  in  the 
window  praying,  so  that  Dr.  Jonas  and  Coelius, 
who  were  in  another  part  of  the  room,  could  hear 
him.  He  dined,  however,  at  noon,  in  the  Great 
Hall,  with  those  assembled  there.  At  dinner  he 
said  to  some  near  him,  "  If  I  can,  indeed,  recon- 
cile the  rulers  of  my  birthplace  with  each  other, 
and  then,  with  God's  permission,  accomplish  the 
journey  back  to  Wittemberg,  I  would  go  home 
and  lay  myself  down  to  sleep  in  my  grave,  and 
let  the  worms  devour  my  body." 

IN  the  afternoon  he  complained  of  painful 
pressure  on  the  breast,  and  requested  that  it 
might  be  rubbed  with  warm  cloths.  This  reliev- 
ed him  a  little  ;  and  he  went  to  supper  again 
with  his  friends  in  the  Great  Hall.  At  table  he 
spoke  much  of  eternity,  and  said  he  believed  his 
own  death  was  near ;  yet  his  conversation  was 
not  only  cheerful,  but  at  times  gay,  although  it 
related  chiefly  to  the  future  world.  One  near  him 
asked  whether  departed  saints  would  recognize 
each  other  in  heaven.  He  said,  yes,  he  thought 
they  would. 


w 


HEN  he  left  the  supper-table  he  went  to 
his    room.     In   the  night   his   two  sons, 


328  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

Paul  and  Martin,  thirteen  and  fourteen  years  of 
age,  sat  up  to  watch  with  Justus  Jonas,  whose 
joys  and  sorrows  he  had  shared  through  so  many 
years.  CoeUus  and  Aurifaber  also  were  with 
him.  The  pain  in  the  breast  returned,  and  again 
they  tried  rubbing  him  with  hot  cloths.  Count 
Albert  came  and  the  Countess,  with  two  physi- 
cians, and  brought  him  some  shavings  from  the 
tusk  of  a  sea-unicorn,  deemed  a  sovereign  reme- 
dy. He  took  it,  and  slept  till  ten.  Then  he 
awoke,  and  attempted  once  more  to  pace  the 
room  a  little  ;  but  he  could  not  and  returned  to 
bed.  Then  he  slept  again  till  one.  During  those 
two  or  three  hours  of  sleep,  his  host  Albrecht, 
with  his  wife,  Ambrose,  Jonas,  and  Luther's  son, 
watched  noiselessly  beside  him,  quietly  keeping 
up  the  fire.  Everything  depended  on  how  long 
he  slept,  and  how  he  woke. 

The  first  words  he  spoke  when  he  woke 
sent  a  shudder  of  apprehension  through  their 
hearts. 

He  complained  of  cold,  and  asked  them  to 
pile  up  more  fire.  Alas  !  the  chill  was  creep- 
ing over  him  which  no  effort  of  man  could  re- 
move. 

Dr.  Jonas  asked  him  if  he  felt  very  weak. 
"  Oh,"  he  replied,  "  how  I  suffer  !  My  dear  Jonas, 
I  think  I  shall  die  here,  at  Eisleben,  where  I  was 
born  and  baptized. 

His  other  friends  were  awakened  and  brought 
in  to  his  bedside. 


THE  RESURRECTION  AND  AD  VENT.       3  2  ^ 

JONAS  spoke  of  the  sweat  on  his  brow  as  a 
hopeful  sign,  but  Dr.  Luther  answered  : 
"  It   is  the  cold  sweat  of  death.     I  must  yield 
up  my  spirit,  for  my  sickness  increaseth." 

Then  he  prayed  fervently,  saying  : 

"  Heavenly  Father,  everlasting  and  merciful 
God,  Thou  hast  revealed  to  me  Thy  dear  Son, 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Him  have  I  taught  ; 
Him  have  I  experienced  ;  Him  have  I  con- 
fessed ;  Him  I  adore  and  love  as  my  beloved 
Saviour,  Sacrifice,  and  Redeemer — Him  whom 
the  godless  persecute,  dishonor,  and  reproach. 
O  heavenly  Father,  though  I  must  resign  my 
body,  and  be  borne  away  from  this  life,  I  know 
that  I  shall  be  with  Him  forever.  Take  my 
poor  soul  up  to  Thee." 

Afterwards  he  took  a  little  medicine,  and 
assuring  his  friends  that  he  was  dying,  said  three 
times  : 

"  Father,  into  Thy  hands  do  I  commend  my 
spirit.  Thou  has  redeemed  me,  Thou  faithful 
God.     Truly  God  hath  so  loved  the  world  ! " 

Then  he  lay  quite  quiet  and  motionless.  Those 
around  sought  to  rouse  him,  and  began  to  rub 
his  chest  and  limbs,  and  spoke  to  him,  but  he 
made  no  reply.  Then  Jonas  and  Coelius,  for 
the  solace  of  the  many  who  had  received  the 
truth  from  his  lips,  spoke  aloud,  and  said  : 


33^  WORDS  OF  VICTORY. 

"Venerable  father,  do  you  die  trusting  in 
Christ,  and  in  the  do6lrine  you  have  constantly 
preached  ? " 

He  answered  by  an  audible  and  joyful  "Yes." 

That  was  his  last  word  on  earth.  Then  turn- 
ing on  his  right  side,  he  seemed  to  fall  peaceably 
asleep  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Once  more 
hope  awoke  in  the  hearts  of  his  children  and  his 
friends  ;  but  the  physician  told  them  it  was  no 
favorable  symptom. 

A  light  was  brought  near  his  face  ;  a  death- 
like paleness  was  creeping  over  it,  and  his  hands 
and  feet  were  becoming  cold. 

Gently  once  more  he  sighed ;  and  with  hands 
folded  on  his  breast,  yielded  up  his  spirit  to  God 
without  a  struggle. 

This  was  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
1 8th  of  February,  1543. 


2  M.  IV.  Dodds  Catalogue. 

CHRONICLES      OF     THE      SCHONBERG-COTTA 
FAMILY.     I  vol.,  121110 $1   50 

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Those  familiar  with  the  life  of  Luther  will  remember  Dame  Ursula 
Cotta,  in  Eisenach,  who,  when  he  was  a  lad  singing  from  door  to 
door  to  support  him  at  school,  took  him  to  her  house  and  ever  after 
befriended  him.  The  author  of  this  book,  for  the  purpose  of  repro- 
ducing in  a  more  familiar  form  the  social  life,  the  religion,  and  some 
of  the  chief  historical  events  and  personages  of  that  momentous 
period,  finds  in  the  above  fad^  a  suggestion  on  which  to  improve. 
The  authoress  manages  her  ingenious  plot  in  the  most  skilful  manner. 
One  can  scarcely  persuade  himself  that  these  are  not  genuine  docu- 
ments fished  out  of  some  old  Lutheran  family  chest 

"  It  is  intensely  interesting,  and  will  be  a  great  favorite  with  tlie  public.  It  is 
eminently  one  of  tlie  star  books  of  the  season." — ^.  3".  Times. 

"A  book  of  unusual  attracflion  and  merit,  where  the  interest  never  flags,  and  every 
page  is  full  of  gems.  The  work  might  justly  be  termed  '  A  Romance  of  the  Refor- 
mation.* The  various  incidents  in  the  life  of  Luther  are  portrayed  with  a  graphic 
beauty  and  truthfulness  rarely  equalled."     *    *     * 

"  It  is  seldom  a  book  appears  which,  like  this,  has  attradlions  for  all  classes  of 
readers.  The  lovers  of  fidlion  and  the  lovers  of  history,  the  practical  and  the  sen- 
timental, the  youthful,  and  those  more  advanced,  are  charmed  by  it,  and  its  gentle 
catholic  spirit  will  render  it  equally  attractive  to  the  Protestant  and  Romanist." — 
Albany  Times. 

"  In-this  work  we  seem  almost  to  meet  the  great  men  of  the  Reformation  face  to 
face,  and  to  be  actually  present  in  the  thrilHng  scenes  in  which  they  participated." — 
Afei/io<£isi. 

"  The  family  history  which  it  contains,  if  read  by  itself,  would  be  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  successful  portraitures  of  domestic  life  that  has  ever  been  drawn,  each 
charadler  being  delineated  and  preserved  with  striking  distindlness,  and  some  of 
the  characflers  being  such  as  the  reader  will  love  to  linger  over  as  he  would  over 
some  beautiful  portrait  drawn  by  a  master's  pencil." — AVw  }'ori  Obsemcr. 

"  The  story  from  first  to  last  is  remarkable  for  its  artlessness  and  tendemcw,  and 
it  chains  the  reader's  attention  to  the  close." — Am.  TItso.  Review. 

"  The  prominent  scenes,  from  the  time  of  Huss  to  the  death  of  Luther,  are 
painted  before  us,  and  we  read  them  with  such  interest  as  even  D'Aubign6  can 
scarcely  create.  The  book  has  all  the  fascination  of  a  romance." — Evangeliccu 
S*f>ository. 


M.  W.  Bond's  CatalooriLe. 


^> 


T 


By  the  Author  of  "The  Schonberg-Cotta  Family." 
'HE   EARLY  DAWN  ;    or,  Sketches  of   Christian 
-L       Life  in   England  in   the   Olden   Time.      By  the 
author  of  the  Schonberg-Cotta  Family.    With  Introdu6tion 

by  Prof.  H.  B.  Smith,  D.D.     i2mo $i  50 

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The  Christian  Life  of  England  in  the  Olden  Time  is  here  depidled, 
through  several  centuries,  from  its  earliest  dawn,  in  its  contrasted 
lights  and  shadows,  down  to  "  the  morning  star  of  the  Reformation." 
The  Druid  is  first  introduced  in  converse  with  the  Jew  and  the  Chris- 
tian. The  Two  Martyrs  of  Verulam  fall  within  the  period  of  the 
Roman  domination,  full  fifteen  hundred  years  ago.  The  fortunes  of 
an  Anglo-Saxon  Family  are  briefly  sketched  through  three  genera- 
tions. The  contests  of  the  Saxon  and  the  Norman,  and  their  different 
traits,  are  vividly  portrayed,  in  the  time  of  the  Crusades.  And  few 
tales  are  more  interesting  and  instruftive  than  that  in  which  Cuthbert 
narrates  his  experience  in  the  Order  of  St.  Francis  and  his  illumina- 
tion by  the  "  Everlasting  Gospel  "  of  Joachim,  and  Cicely  relates 
how  Dr.  Wycliffe,  of  Oxford,  ministered  to  her  spiritual  needs  and 
insight. 

"  The  undeniable  charm  of  these  sketches  consists  in  their  simple,  truthful  adhe- 
rence to  the  spirit  and  traits  of  these  olden  times.  The  author  has  been  a  diligent 
student  of  the  literature,  and  through  the  literature,  of  the  very  life  of  the  epochs. 
This  is  revealed  in  many  skilful  touches  of  art,  in  incidental  allusions,  apt  citations, 
and  graphic  descriptions  of  scenes  and  persons.  But  more  than  this  is  her  rare  gift 
of  tracing  the  workings  of  the  human  soul  in  its  needs  and  aspirations,  its. human 
love,  its  divine  longings.  The  permanent  religious  wants,  which  remain  the  same 
under  all  varieties  of  external  fortune,  are  so  truthfully  set  forth  that  the  Past  be- 
comes a  mirror  for  the  Present." — Dr.  Smith'' s  Introduction. 

"  The  various  fadls  and  legends  of  Christianity  are  told  in  this  book  in  a  style  of 
romantic  fascination.  It  is  an  unusually  entertaining  and  readable  work." — Neib 
York  Evening  Post. 

"The  author  carries  us  back  into  the  midst  of  events  and  scenes,  wakes  up  (he 
dead  a6lors  and  makes  them  live  again,  and  we  see  not  the  history,  but  the  living 
men  that  made  the  history." — Evangelical  Repository. 

"  We  do  not  know  where  to  look  for  a  book  that  combines  such  beauty  of  style 
E  jch  charming  simplicity  and  variety  of  expression,  with  such  sweetness  of  spirit 
It  is  full  of  beauty,  and  everywhere  pervaded  with  a  loving,  catholic  spirit." — Hari' 
ford  Press. 


D 


M.  W.  DodcTs  Catalos^ue. 

By  the  Author  of  "The  Schonberg-Cotta  Fami  /.' 

lARY  OF  MRS.  KITTY  TREVYLYAN.  A  Story 
OF  THE  Times  of  Whitefield  and  the  Weslevs. 
By  the  author  of  the  Schonberg-Cotta  Family.  With  a 
Preface  by  the  author  for  our  edition.     I2m(      .         $i   50 

Fine  edition,  crown  8vo,  tinted  paper 2  00 

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Sunday-school  edition,  iSmo,  illustrated     .  .     .     i  00 

Tlie  diary  begins  in  1745  and  gives  us  a  charming  pi(5ture  of  rura) 
life  and  simplicity  in  Cornwall.  At  the  date  the  story  opens  the 
"  mischievous  fanatics,"  Whitefield  and  Wesley,  begin  to  disturb  the 
parish  with  their  plain  preaching.  Kitty  very  soon  goes  up  to  Lon- 
don to  pay  a  visit  to  the  family  of  her  uncle,  who  is  a  dissenter,  and 
there  she  meets  those  reformers,  who  are  turning  the  kingdom  upside 
down  with  their  new  do6trines.  The  main  interest  of  the  book  is 
religious,  yet  the  state  of  the  country  at  that  time,  the  habits  of  so- 
ciety, the  dangers  of  travelling,  and  the  faithful  pictures  of  the  dress 
and  manners  of  that  age  will  interest  all  who  are  not  attracted  by  the 
graver  matters  of  the  story. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  immense  popularity  of  the  SchiJnberg  Cotta  Chronicle,  we 
should  not  be  surprised  if  Mrs.  Kitty  Trevylyan  completely  rivals  them  in  popular 
favor.  All  the  good  qualities  that  gained  so  much  success  for  the  writer's  previous 
books  are  found  in  this,  while  the  subject  undoubtedly  offers  superior  advantages  to 
those  where  the  scene  is  laid  in  remote  times  or  in  a  foreign  land.  The  family  group 
in  the  old  homestead,  on  the  storm-vexed  shores  of  Cornwall,  becomes,  from  the 
author's  skiltui  painting,  and  fine  perception  of  charadler,  a  reality  from  henceforth  to 
lier  readers  ;  and  when  the  heroine  leaves  it  to  gain  the  glimpses  of  the  great  world 
that  form  the  historical  portion  of  the  book,  she  carries  with  her  the  good  wishes  of 
all."— -V.   Y.  Times. 

"The  beauty  of  the  'Diary'  is  its  homelike  simplicity,  its  delicate  portraits,  and 
powerful,  because  so  perfectly  natural,  sketches  of  life  and  mTinners." — //arf/ord 
Post. 

"  The  book  is  redolent  with  religious  feeling,  fresh,  pure,  and  sensible  ;  it  abounds 
in  kind  but  keen  thrusts  at  the  follies  and  mistakes  of  conventional  piety ;  it  pushes 
aside  human  creeds  that  fetter  and  conceal  the  Bible's  plain,  clear  pages  ;  and  it  is 
quite  remarkable  for  its  nice  detection  of  the  starting-points  of  error,  the  places  where 
divine  doctrines  have  been  spliced  with  human  ones." — Vermont  Record. 

"  VVe  think  this  decidedly  the  author's  best  work,  better  even  than  the  '  Cotta 
Family.'  It  sparkles  on  aln.ost  every  page  with  gems  of  thought,  while  the  t  irrative 
is  one  of  absorbing  interest." — 5".  5".  Times. 


M.   W.  Dodd's  Catalogue.  5 

By  the  Author  of  "The  Schonberg-Cotta  Family.*' 

WINIFRED    BERTRAM  ;    and    The    World    she 
Lived  in.     By   the   author   of  the    Schonberg-Cotta 

Family,     i  vol.  i2mo %'^  IS 

Fine  edition,  crown  8vo,  tinted  paper 2  50 

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Unlike  the  author's  previous  works,  it  is  not  historical,  but  a  story 
of  modern  life,  with  its  scene  laid  in  the  heart  of  London.  Winifred 
is  a  bright  child,  who  very  early  in  a  naive  way  begins  to  be  blase, 
having  nothing  to  do  but  gratify  her  own  childish  desires.  The  lesson 
of  the  book  is  that  one  can  only  live  happily  and  profitably  by  sym- 
pathy with  others,  and  in  exertion  to  benefit  others.  The  chara6lers 
are  all  ordinary  and  natural  people,  and  the  plot  is  without  one  sen- 
sational incident,  but  the  author's  genius  for  irradiating  the  common, 
her  simple,  pure  spirit,  her  delicate  humor,  her  faculty  of  seizing  upon 
and  representing  charadler  with  fidelity,  and  the  lovely  spirit  of  mo- 
rality and  religion,  make  the  book  a  delightful  one.  The  whole  story 
is  suffused  with  vivacity  and  grace. 

"  George  Elliot,  whom  we  regard  as  the  ^eatest  female  novelist  of  the  age,  never 
exceeded  the  terseness  and  epigrammatic  force  of  expression  of  some  passages  in 

Winifred  Bertram The  allego.y  of  the  expanding  and  contrading 

chamber  is  one  of  the  most  exquisite  things  in  modern  literature. '"■ — Rojitid  Table. 

"  A  charming  and  quickenincr  story,  as  we  mi^lit  anticipate  from  the  author." — 
Congre Rationalist. 

"  Delightful  and  charming  are  not  properly  descriptive  of  it,  for  while  it  is  both,  it 
is  more  than  both  ;  it  is  of  the  kind  of  books  tliac  t  ne  cannot  read  without  growing 
better." — Indianapolis  State  Journal. 

"  It  differs  from  its  predecessors  in  that  it  is  a  storv  of  our  own  time,  but  it  is  like 
them  in  its  felicitous  portraiture  of  characfter,  its  life-likeness  in  narrative  and  i^a- 
logue,  and  its  exquisite  illustrations  of  precious  gospel  tru*^!!." — Christian  Ti7ne^. 

"  In  her  previous  works  it  might  have  been  supposed  that  some  part  of  their  suc- 
cess was  due  to  the  happy  choice  of  her  subjefts,  or  to  the  quaintness  and  novelty 
of  the  form  in  which  they  were  presented.  But  here  ther«  ia  no  gentle  illusion  of 
the  kind,  and  the  effe6l  is  to  place  her  clearly  foremost  amon^  th;  liv-ng  writers  of 
religious  stories.  It  is  altogether  the  best  and  ablest  book  oi  the  accomplished 
author. ' ' — Sunday- School  Times. 

"  A  succession  of  pi6lures  of  conversations,  scenes,  and  comments,  which  shnw  s 
wonderful  measure  of  shrewd  common  sense  and  genuine  knowledge  o\  humai  na 
ture.'" — Nat  ion. tl  Baptist. 


6  M.  IV.  D odd's  Catalogue. 

By  the  Author  of  "  The  Schonberg-Cotta  Family." 

THE    DRAYTONS    AND    THE    DAVENANTS.     A 
Story  of  the  Civil  Wars.     By  the  author  of  the  Schon- 

berg-Cotta  Family,     i  vol.  i2mo $i   75 

Cabinet  edition,  i6mo,  tinted  paper i   75 

Sunday-school  edition,  iSmo,  illustrated    ....       i  00 

This  work,  the  opening  scene  of  which  is  in  New  England,  is  asso- 
ciated with  a  period  of  English  history  in  the  17th  century,  involving 
political  and  religious  questions  in  which  Americans  are  deeply  in- 
terested. In  its  vivid  and  truthful  impersonations  of  character,  its 
great  historic  interest,  its  inimitable  pictures  of  domestic  life,  min- 
gled throughout  with  an  unaffected  tone  of  religious  sentiment,  the 
author  has  fully  equalled  in  this  volume  her  Gotta  Family,  which  has 
delighted  so  many  thousands. 

"  On  the  whole,  we  are  inclined  to  assign  to  this  a  higher  position  and  greater 
merit  than  to  any  of  Mrs.  Charles'  works." — Independettt. 

"If  this  work  had  preceded  in  its  publication  the  Schonberg-Cotta  Family,  we  are 
not  sure  that  it  would  not  have  rivalled  it  in  popular  favor." — Ne-w  York  Evangelist. 

"The  quaint  antique  style  of  the  volume  gives  it  a  strong  flavor  of  those  eventful 
times,  while  the  ta<5t  and  fidelity  with  which  the  prominent  historical  circumstances 
are  interwoven  with  the  fi(5tltious  incidents  of  the  plot  impart  to  it  an  air  of  natural- 
ness hardly  inferior  to  that  of  a  cotemporary  chronicle.  With  a  curious  instin(5l  she 
seizes  upon  the  heart  of  different  epochs,  incorporating  it  in  her  descriptions  with 
equal  faithfulness  to  the  truth  of  history  and  of  human  nature.'' — New  York  Tribune. 

"  The  volume  starts  with  the  first  agitation  of  Protestantism  as  a  political  element 
in  Great  Britain,  and  proceeds  through  the  civil  wars  that  followed.  The  two  fami- 
lies whose  names  aflford  a  title  to  the  volume  were  on  opposite  sides  of  the  great 
question  of  the  day,  and  the  story  is  well  wrought  out  in  the  well-known  style  of  the 
author.  Since  the  Schonberg-Cotta  Family,  Mrs.  Charles  has  written  no  book 
which  compares  so  favorably  with  the  former  as  Xhis."— Methodist  Protestant. 

"  It  is  a  living  book,  full  of  tender  sympathies,  holy  thoughts,  and  devout  quick- 
eners,  yet  with  sharp,  clear-cut  delineations  of  characfter.  The  roistering  cavalier, 
the  Christian  reformer,  and,  more  than  all,  the  womanly  women  of  the  time,  gather 
around  us,  and  we  know  and  love  them." — Christian  Register. 

"  To  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans  and  those  who  respedl  their  memory,  this 
admirable  volume  will  have  a  charm  which  even  sympathy  and  interest  rarely  give." 
— .Veiv  Haven  Palladium. 

"  All  through  the  story  there  is  evidence  of  that  earnestness  of  feeling  and  refine- 
ment of  thought  that  have  given  such  a  charm  to  this  lady's  writings,  and  have  touched 
the  popular  heart  so  efiectively  while  instrucfting  and  elevating  the  reader's  tastes 
and  moral  and  religious  aspirat'ons." — Roxl^ury  Journal. 


M.  W.  Dodd's  Catalocriie. 


t%  • 


By  the  Author  of  "The  Schonberg-Cotta  Family." 

N  BOTH  SIDES  OF  THE  SEA.     A  Story  of  the 
Commonwealth  and  Restoration.  Being  a  Sequel  to 
"  The  Draytons  and  the  Davenants."     By  the  author  ot 
The  Schcinberg-Cotta  Family.     ivol.i2mo    .     .     .     $i   75 

Cabinet  edition i   75 

Sunday-school  edition,  i8mo  .     .  i  00 

While  this  work  is  complete  in  itself,  yet  its  historical  value  and 
interest  are  very  much  heightened  by  reading  it  in  conne6lion  with  its 
companion  volume,  "  The  Draytons  and  the  Davenants,"  where  many 
of  the  leading  chara61ers  are  first  placed  before  the  reader.  These 
two  families  are  in  this  volume,  as  in  the  preceding,  made  the  warp  of 
the  story,  into  which  is  woven  the  history  of  a  most  eventful  period. 
Opening  with  the  tragic  scenes  of  the  execution  of  Charles  I.,  we  have 
presented  in  the  highly  dramatic  style  of  the  author — the  establishment 
of  the  Commonwealth  under  Cromwell,  its  brilliant  career,  the  death 
of  the  Protedor,  the  restoration  of  the  Monarchy,  and  the  forcible 
emigration  to  America  of  prominent  a(?tors  in  its  previous  overthrow. 

"  The  house  life,  the  public  teaching,  the  political  relations  and  partisanships  of 
these  times  (1637  to  1691)  are  depicfled  with  consummate  power  and  impressiveness 
in  this  volume  and  the  Draytons  and  the  Davenants,  to  which  it  is  a  sequel." — 
Brookly7t  Gazette. 

"  This  work  will  be  found  to  be  a  vivid  reprodu6lion  of  the  scenes  of  those  stirring 
days,  wliich  more  than  any  other  in  profane  histoi-y  have  an  interest  for  us,  and  which 
all  Americans  need  to  understand." — Christian  Advocate. 

'•  The  scenes  of  the  period  to  which  this  volume  refers  are  depicted  with  consum- 
mate skill  and  rare  beauty,  and  with  such  perfecft  naturalness  that  the  reader  almost 
forgets  that  he  is  not  in  aftual  conta<fl  with  the  impressive  realities." — Albaity 
Express. 

"  It  has  all  the  varied  interests  and  the  peculiar  charm  which  attach  to  the  author's 
ideal  and  yet  historic  narratives  that  are  now  so  familiar  to  the  reading  world.  No 
writer  of  the  present  day  has  more  deservedly  won  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  all  who 
love  the  truth,  and  who  can  appreciate  that  which  is  pure  in  sentiment  and  in  domestic 
life." — New  York  Observer. 

"  It  blends  histoiy  with  romance,  and  interweaves  most  charmingly  lessons  of  the 
richest  moral  instrudllon  and  the  deepest  experiences  of  the  Christian  life." — 
National  Baptist. 

"  '  On  Both  Sides  of  the  Sea  '  has  certainly  a  charming  flavor  of  the  quaint  spirit 
of  the  time  it  describes,  while  as  a  story  merely  it  is  of  exceeding  interest." — New 
York  Mail. 


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